GE13: More incidents of violence reported
(The Star) – Incidents of violence are increasing in tandem with the rising political temperature, with an assault with a steel rod, torching of a party base and threatening of party workers with a parang among the latest cases.
Three suspects arrested in connection with an explosion near the Barisan Nasional ceramah in Nibong Tebal, Penang on Tuesday, have been remanded for four days.
The Inspector-General of Police Secretariat’s assistant head Asst Comm Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said 1,166 cases of polls-related violence and intimidation had been reported since nomination day on April 20, with 43 people arrested so far.
He said police were also investigating a death threat allegedly received by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Monday.
“He lodged a report on Thursday and we are taking this very seriously,” he said, adding that police were also probing an SMS sent to the Hulu Selangor OCPD claiming that a candidate was being blackmailed by party workers for RM30,000.
He said a total of 20 reports of violence and threats were made in six states on Thursday.
“In Rembau, Negri Sembilan, a party worker was beaten with a steel rod, suffering injuries on his head, neck and body,” he said.
In Perak, three men threw molotov cocktails at the Barisan Nasional command base at Taman Rishah Indah, Jelapang, at about 5.30am, causing a fire.
“They drove off in a car but the driver lost control of the car and crashed it on a curb near Taman Emas, Farlim.
“The men then fled on foot,” he said, adding that police found several molotov cocktails and parang in the car.
In Grik, Perak, a party worker was attacked by a group of men who tore down banners and burned one of them before kicking a table, which hit a worker.
ACP Ramli said in Tenang, Johor, a man was arrested for using a parang and threatening party workers from putting up flags near a restaurant.
In Klang, Selangor, a car belonging to a candidate’s daughter was torched.
Two days earlier, a 37-year-old man in Bandar Putra Klang threatened to kill his friend over differences in political views.
In Sabah, a man was assaulted by several people for asking a question related to politics.
ACP Ramli said in Besut, Terengganu, a group of party workers were stopped from entering a village by two men and threatened with a golok (a short parang).
Among the victims in Kedah was an 11-year-old boy in Felda Teloi Timur, in Sik, who was kicked in the groin for supporting Barisan Nasional on Monday.
Kedah Barisan chairman Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said the assault on Mohamad Ismadinel Ar Samsudin was “shameful and uncivilised”.
In Kuching, a scuffle nearly broke out between DAP members and workers of a contractor over a party billboard near the OneTJ commercial centre located in the Stampin constituency.
The billboard, one of the three erected yesterday afternoon, was the last one standing after two others were said to have been dismantled by the Kuching City South Council.
