Suspect in Centipede Temple fire remanded for a week

SEREMBAN: A man who is believed to have started a fire at a popular temple in Temiang here on Sunday has been remanded for seven days from today.
Seremban police chief ACP Thiew Hock Poh said the remand would enable police to carry out investigations under Section 436 of the Penal Code on the 24-year-old man.
The suspect was picked up at a restaurant in Jalan Tun Dr Ismail here at about 5am yesterday for his alleged involvement in the incident.
"We also seized a safe box belonging to the razed temple, clothes used during the fire, a helmet and a motorcycle," he said in a statement, here today.
At about 5am on Sunday, police received a report of a fire at the 154-year-old shrine which is also known as the Centipede Temple.
Inspections found the temple was completely destroyed in the blaze, which was eventually extinguished by firemen. There were no casualties reported in the case.
Thiew said through a closed-circuit television (CCTV) recording of the location, the suspect was seen in the temple before the fire occurred.
"The man was seen ransacking several offices in the temple for money. The amount of losses has not been determined," he said.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan Fire and Rescue director Norazam Khamis said initial investigations found the suspect started the fire using candles and joss sticks.
"Investigations also found the temple was deliberately razed by the suspect after stealing money from the temple safe boxes.
"We found evidence of two safe boxes being prised while one of them was forced opened while a third safe box was missing. We believe the man set fire to the temple to cover up evidence of his act and the Fire and Rescue Department confirmed the fire was an arson," he told reporters here today.
He said all information had been handed over to police for further investigations. — Bernama