Sentul district police chief Beh Eng Lai told Malaysiakini that police officers conduct their investigations fairly and without prejudice, regardless of their racial background.

This came after Badrul Hisham Shaharin – better known as Chegubard – brought up the race of police officers who were tasked to handle investigations into reports lodged by him and Yeoh against each other.

“The claim is wrong. It was only a coincidence. And police conduct investigations in a fair manner, and the race of the officer or complainant has no influence in our probe,” Beh said when contacted this morning.

“We also have senior investigating officers, district Criminal Investigation Department chiefs and district police chiefs, the majority of them are Malays, to monitor the process of investigations,” he added.

Yesterday, Badrul told reporters outside the Sentul police headquarters that he believed there was a conspiracy to cover up the minister’s wrongdoings.

This was based on the race of the police officers who took his and Yeoh’s respective complaints against each other, he reportedly said.

“It is unlikely that it is a coincidence that both officers are non-Muslims.

“But I am confident that this was not a decision of the police force but instead pressure from above,” he reportedly told reporters before going into the police premises for questioning.

Accusation of Christian evangelism

Badrul had previously accused Yeoh of Christian evangelism over the planned “Jom Ziarah Gereja” event.

The planned visit to a church was part of a wider programme where youths would be brought to different houses of worship to foster better understanding.

Yeoh, however, denied the evangelism charge and lodged a police report against Badrul.

Yeoh also clarified that no Muslim youths had been involved in the programme.

The planned church visit – which was supposed to happen last weekend – was subsequently cancelled.  MKINI

Hannah questioned by cops

KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has given her statement to the police over investigations into the Jom Ziarah Gereja programme.

Before going into the station at 5.45pm, the Segambut MP pledged to give her full cooperation in connection with the probe into the “Jom Ziarah Gereja” programme.

Yeoh, who was wearing an orange baju kurung, said she had cooperated with the police since hearing she had been asked to give her statement.

“My statement (to the police) will be consistent with the things I said in Parliament.

“I have also answered the ‘fitnah’ (lies) of Chegubard (Badrul Hisham Shaharin),” she told reporters in front of the Sentul IPD yesterday.

“I hope the police will be able to wrap up their investigation.”

Yeoh was accompanied by her lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, and several others.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Beh Eng Lai said earlier that police would call up Yeoh to assist with the ongoing investigation.

Chegubard was also called up. He gave his statement earlier.

On Sunday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Azmi Abu Kassim said police had opened investigations into the programme, although it had been called off.

On March 14, Yeoh told the Dewan Rakyat that the programme did not involve Muslims.

A day earlier, an aide to Yeoh had also lodged a police report against Chegubard, a former PKR strongman who was sacked in 2016 and later joined Bersatu.

Badrul Hisham had shared a poster by Impact Malaysia, a non-profit organisation under the ministry, about a visit to a church in Klang.

MKINI

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