MMEA director-general Rosli Abdullah yesterday denied conducting a raid on Masjid Rusila in Marang, Terengganu, on Sept 19, as alleged by Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan, stating that the agency was holding a training exercise in the area and the mosque had been informed about that.

In a statement today, mosque committee chairman Azri Aziz said the mosque never received any application or notification about the matter, either verbally or in writing.

He also said police confirmed that MMEA did not conduct any activities there on the date. The mosque committee then decided to lodge a police report regarding the incident.

“Only after that did we receive a verbal notification and an apology over the phone from MMEA.

“The mosque committee is deeply disappointed with the unprofessional attitude and actions demonstrated by MMEA in handling this matter,” he said.

Takiyuddin, who is also the Kota Bharu MP, yesterday said that 10 to 15 MMEA personnel came in five vehicles and entered the compound of Masjid Rusila on Sept 19 without permission.

“They entered the mosque wearing shoes, intruded on the women’s prayer area, and conducted searches, causing discomfort among the people there,” Malaysiakini reported him as saying.

Rosli then explained that a training exercise was ongoing at the time. He said the mosque authorities had been informed earlier about the trainees’ presence and that they had not disturbed the congregants or prayers.

He also said no violence or untoward incidents had occurred as claimed and emphasised that the trainees were merely there to perform their prayers.

“The mosque in question was only a place for our trainees to rest and perform their Asar prayers before receiving their next instructions,” he said.