BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police have detained 49 men to assist the probe into a viral video footage showing more than 200 Muslims, believed to be foreigners, praying in the open outside Surau Taman Pelangi here this morning in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said 48 of the men nabbed were Bangladeshis while the last was a local man, adding that all were aged in their 20s and 40s.
"They were picked up in various locations in Juru today," he said tonight.
Earlier this afternoon, Shuhaily had told reporters that Penang police had initiated a probe into the viral video footage showing more than 200 Muslims, believed to be foreigners, praying in the open outside Surau Taman Pelangi here in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha.
The surau is one of many in the state allowed to hold Friday prayer as well as Aidiladha prayer.
Initial investigations revealed that more than 200 people had gathered to pray in the open after the surau exceeded its capacity of 100 people.
Shuhaily had said that further investigation revealed the surau was already swarmed with hundreds even before the prayer started at 8.30am.
He had also said that the management of the surau then ordered them to leave to meet the 100-person capacity before closing the gate.
"However, the management of the surau did not disperse the crowd, knowing full well the sensitivity of the Aidiladha prayer. They also did not alert the police to the matter.
"This resulted in the more than 200 congregation, mainly foreigners, to gather spontaneously outside the surau for the Aidiladha prayer, whilst observing physical distancing. They left after prayers about 9am.
"Although the incident happened spontaneously, this does not mean that police will not investigate the matter.
"Police will still investigate if the gathering outside the surau was pre-planned," he was quoted as saying at the Seberang Prai Tengah police headquarters here this afternoon.
Taman Pelangi has a population of about 8,000 people, living in 23 flats in the area.
About 70 per cent of the population there are foreigners, who are working in nearby industries.
The video footage which went viral this morning showed the congregation who gathered to pray outside the surau was mainly foreigners.
Following the incident, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had asked the Penang police chief to immediately provide a report and detailed explanation of the assignment of personnel responsible for monitoring standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance.
He said the ministry gave its assurance that stern action, without compromise, would be taken against any individual found involved in organising the event, and should it involve foreigners, the ministry has instructed the Immigration Department to take the necessary deportation action under the Immigration Act 1958/63.
Meanwhile, Shuhaily said a report on the incident has been submitted to Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani to explain the matter to Hamzah.
"I have submitted the report today. At the moment, investigation and further action is taken to identify the individuals involved," he added.
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