"I'm Muslim too, I'm Muslim too," says Mohammad Jehapar Ali Hussaien Kader, who is still in shock and disbelief that his restaurant was raided by religous officials on Tuesday.

Twenty-five officials from the government religious department Jakim (Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia) pulled up in front of his Restoran Aiswaria, in Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, during lunch hour on Tuesday, asking to see certification that the eatery was halal.

After finding out that Aiswaria had no official halal documentation, the officials proceeded to take down Quranic verses and a framed picture of the Kaabah from the restaurant's walls.

According to Mohammed Dhasthasir, one of Aiswaria's workers, officials took down the verses and picture because they were "misleading".

He said the officers implied that since the restaurant was not certified halal, Islamic paraphernalia could not be placed on its walls.

The picture and verses were taken by the officials and not returned to the owner.

The officers filed a report (left) stating that Aiswaria had committed several offences, including not having halal certification, displaying Quranic verses not "certified" by Jawi and not hiring Muslim workers.

However, Aiswaria has seven Muslim workers out of a total of 12, including Mohammed Dhasthasir himself.

"I told them I was Muslim, and I signed the report with my full name!" said an indignant Dhasthasir. "My name is Mohammed, how could they not know my religion?"

No proper explanation

Dhasthasir and Ali are also frustrated that the officials took away the restaurant decorations without proper explanation.

"I am Muslim, so why can't I display Quranic verses? I have them in my car as well." says Ali. "Just because we have no halal certification, is that a reason for them to take away my religious decoratives?"

He also lamented the officers' hardline actions. "They should have given us a three-day notice. I understand if you come to check my halal certification, but something like the pictures - they should have let us know and we would have taken them down ourselves." Ali said. "They shouldn't have taken them away."

"It's akin to legalised robbery." he added.

Dhasthasir says that the officers came in a large pack, although 15 actually walked into the cafe while the others milled around outside. For 20 minutes, the officers questioned the workers, looked around the restaurant, took the pictures and left.

The New Straits Times today also said that the same officers had also confiscated pictures of Hindu deities from Restaurant Seetharam, an Indian restaurant on the same block as Aiswaria.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said in a press statement that the religious authorities should stop their "reign of terror" and called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to put them in check.

Referring to the Lorong Maarof raids, he accused them having "little Napoleons" complex of "not understanding the Merdeka social contract" and having "contempt for the constitutional rights of all Malaysians".