Perak assembly: Supporters warned not to gather
(The Star) – Police have warned all Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat supporters not to converge near the state secretariat building here when the state assembly sits on Thursday.
Perak CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah said police would not hesitate to take stern action against those who gather near the building without a permit.
“All assemblymen and party leaders have been told to advise their supporters to stay away from the building,” said DCP Zulkifli in a statement Monday.
“They are also responsible for the actions of their supporters,” he added.
DCP Zulkifli said police had received information that several party leaders had called upon people to converge near the secretariat building on the first day of the sitting this Thursday.
He claimed that the same call was also found on several blogs and alternative media sites.
DCP Zulkifli said police held a briefing Monday with assemblymen and representatives from Barisan and Pakatan regarding the state assembly sitting.
However, he noted that assemblymen and representatives from DAP were absent.
DCP Zulkifli advised all assemblymen to behave themselves during the sitting to avoid any untoward incident.
He also said that only the state assemblymen and those with invitations would be allowed into the building during the sitting, and advised motorists to avoid using roads near the state secretariat building.
Perak DAP deputy chairman M. Kulasegaran confirmed that the party received the invitation letter from the police on the briefing but chose to ignore it.
“We don’t see any positive outcome if we attend the briefing,” he said.
Perak PAS has denied any connection with any planned gathering during the State Assembly sitting. Its state commissioner Ahmad Awang said the party had in no time either verbally or through letters told its supporters to gather at the State Secretariat building here on Thursday.
“But if people want to gather at the building on that day, we cannot stop them,” he told reporters here Monday.
Ahmad noted that the party gave its undertaking to the Perak police that its supporters would not create chaos on that day.
“We will even help the police advise our supporters to disperse if they gather,” he added.
