A fire broke out at the home of DAP member and Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham after three of his cars caught on fire. The incident happened earlier today (10th January) at his home at Taman Semarak Jaya in Ayer Tawar, Perak.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson confirmed the fire and said the incident occurred at around 3am. According to reports, passers-by were the first to discover the fire and they rang the doorbell to alert Datuk Ngeh and his family. The fire department received an emergency call at 3.05am and was able to put out the fire at around 3.40am.
Luckily, there were no casualties, but three of Ngeh Koo Ham’s private vehicles received damages from the fire. The Fire and Rescue Department reported that a Mercedes E300 received the most damage at about 80 per cent. A Honda CRV and a Toyota Hilux were also damaged, at about five per cent for both vehicles. The fire also damaged the garage area, particularly the ceiling and roof. The spokesperson noted that the rescue team put out the fire before it spread into the home.
Police are still investigating the cause of the fire but Perak police chief Datuk Yusri Hassan Basri did not rule out the possibility of arson. Last week, Ngeh Koo Ham sparked controversy after suggesting a special committee on Shariah law include non-Muslims. He later withdrew the statement, but many believed his statement was what led to the fire. DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook also said to the press that the fire was caused by a Molotov cocktail, implying that the incident was an arson attack.
According to Anthony Loke, a police report has been made regarding the fire and the party responsible for the crime will be arrested soon. He added, “DAP strongly condemns this act, which threatens the safety of his (Ngeh Koo Ham) family’s life and insists that any form of violence is unacceptable in dealing with differences in our society.”
We hope the investigations for the incident will run smoothly and the party responsible for threatening the safety of Ngeh Koo Ham and his family will receive the appropriate punishment.
Sources: China Press, The Star, Kosmo, Sin Chew Daily
