YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has given a statement to police as part of the investigation into accusations Muslim youths were being proselytised through the Jom Ziarah Gereja programme.

Yeoh said she went to Sentul police station after reading news reports police wanted to speak to her about the programme.

“I decided to come today to give my fullest co-operation to the police in their investigation. I did not want to waste time,” she told reporters outside the station this evening.

Earlier today, Sentul police chief Beh Eng Lai said police would ask Yeoh to give a statement.

He added that they had already taken a statement from Bersatu member Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard.

“We have recorded the testimony of three people: a complainant and two civil society representatives,” he said in a press conference today.

According to Beh, so far there have been two police reports about the programme.

Yesterday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Azmi Abu Kassim said police were investigating the programme, even though it had been cancelled.

While wrapping up the Budget 2023 debate in the Dewan Rakyat last week, Yeoh said the initiative was conducted by Impact Integrated, an agency affiliated with her ministry, to visit places of worship, but Muslim youths were not included.

The Segambut MP has also lodged a police report through her political secretary over the allegations.

Impact Malaysia chief executive officer Ahmed Faris Amir said the visits were cancelled at Yeoh’s request.

“The programme isn’t happening today following Yeoh’s decision that youth unity programmes will no longer be implemented by her ministry, but by other ministries and departments,” he told Malay-language daily Berita Harian on Saturday.

Chegubard had alleged the programme run by Impact Malaysia was promoting Christian evangelism. – March 20, 2023.