KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said he is duty-bound to act against crime even if it involves his family members, amid reports of his brother’s role in a protest against a church yesterday.

He said the police have yet to find anything unlawful about the protest in Taman Medan, but stressed that action would be taken “without bias” if the protesters are found to have broken any laws.

“Immaterial if it is my siblings, or my children, that is not a problem. We will carry out our jobs as expected of us,” he said at a news conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters here.

Yesterday, a group of around 50 protesters gathered in front of a new church in Taman Medan demanding that it take down a cross put up on the building’s facade.

Khalid’s brother, Datuk Abdullah Abu Bakar reportedly acted as a mediator between the protesters and the church, which decided to voluntarily take down the cross.

Khalid today said he was informed by his officers that his brother had acted in his capacity as a community leader to calm the situation and prevent the protesters from becoming aggressive.

He acknowledged that some of the protesters had acted aggressively during the incident, but stressed that it was eventually settled in the spirit of cooperation.

“I congratulate the local community and the pastor for successfully bringing calm to the situation,” the country’s top police officer said.

In yesterday’s incident, the protesters demanded that the church take down a cross affixed on the façade of the building, claiming that it is a challenge to the area’s majority Muslim community and could influence young Muslims.

It is understood that the church voluntarily took down the cross, several hours after a discussion with representatives from the protest group.