KUCHING: A cabinet minister has urged those in charge of houses of worship to be vigilant about safeguarding their premises from extremists of the Islamic State network.
The militant group had not only targeted churches, but also mosques and temples, said Richard Riot Jaem, human resources minister, at an Aidilfitri gathering at Miftahul Jannah Mosque in Kampung Muara Mongkos, 110km from Kuching.
Riot said several mosques in other countries, including Syria, had previously been attacked by IS militants. “Their victims are not just Christians, but also Muslims who didn’t agree with their deviant ideology,” Riot said.
Committees of houses of worship should immediately lodge police reports about any suspicious activity in the vicinity, as a recent attack launched by Islamic State members in Puchong, Selangor, had shown that the group had made Malaysia one of their targets