Perlis Umno Youth chief Syed Atif Syed Abu Bakar has claimed that a Kangar Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement officer punched a trader in the face at a Ramadan bazaar in Arau.
However, the council has denied this.
According to Syed Atif's version, the punch was thrown when a trader, who was upset with his wares being carted away, shouted at the officers, calling them "cruel and inconsiderate".
Enforcement officers were at the Ramadan bazaar on Sunday to take action against traders who had not paid their plot fees.
After the alleged punch was thrown, Syed Atif claimed, enraged onlookers started to pelt a MPK vehicle with watermelons.
Syed Atif said he asked the enforcement officers to show leniency, for Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim was scheduled to visit the bazaar.
Contacted by Malaysiakini today, an MPK spokesperson claimed that no such incident had occurred.
"Our enforcement officers did not punch anyone. He (Syed Atif) is making such allegations to show his power and manliness (kejantanan) as Perlis Umno Youth chief," he said.
According to the spokesperson, who declined to be named, it was Syed Atif who instigated the argument.
"And it was him who provoked the officers by pulling out the watermelons that were seized from the MPK truck," he claimed.
As a result of this, onlookers kicked the truck resulting in it being dented while its front and rear lights were shattered.
The spokesperson added that the action to cart away the traders' wares was justified as they were issued a warning four days earlier.
On Shahidan's visit to the bazaar, the spokesperson said the MPK officers did not know that the former state menteri besar was coming.
"They didn't know about the programme. The officers were just doing their duty as usual," he added.
As a result of the fiasco, Syed Atif (right) was arrested when he went to the Arau police station on Monday to give a statement on the incident and was put in the lock-up.
The Umno Youth leader, who was later released on police bail the next day, was accused of obstructing a civil servant from discharging his duty.
"Out of the 50-plus people who were there, they only knew my name and my information chief's name.
"So we were accused of violating Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a civil servant from performing his duty," he said in a statement.
Syed Atif also claimed that he was only trying to avoid any negative perception towards Shahidan.
However, the council has denied this.
According to Syed Atif's version, the punch was thrown when a trader, who was upset with his wares being carted away, shouted at the officers, calling them "cruel and inconsiderate".Enforcement officers were at the Ramadan bazaar on Sunday to take action against traders who had not paid their plot fees.
After the alleged punch was thrown, Syed Atif claimed, enraged onlookers started to pelt a MPK vehicle with watermelons.
Syed Atif said he asked the enforcement officers to show leniency, for Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim was scheduled to visit the bazaar.
Contacted by Malaysiakini today, an MPK spokesperson claimed that no such incident had occurred.
"Our enforcement officers did not punch anyone. He (Syed Atif) is making such allegations to show his power and manliness (kejantanan) as Perlis Umno Youth chief," he said.
According to the spokesperson, who declined to be named, it was Syed Atif who instigated the argument."And it was him who provoked the officers by pulling out the watermelons that were seized from the MPK truck," he claimed.
As a result of this, onlookers kicked the truck resulting in it being dented while its front and rear lights were shattered.
The spokesperson added that the action to cart away the traders' wares was justified as they were issued a warning four days earlier.
On Shahidan's visit to the bazaar, the spokesperson said the MPK officers did not know that the former state menteri besar was coming.
"They didn't know about the programme. The officers were just doing their duty as usual," he added.
As a result of the fiasco, Syed Atif (right) was arrested when he went to the Arau police station on Monday to give a statement on the incident and was put in the lock-up.The Umno Youth leader, who was later released on police bail the next day, was accused of obstructing a civil servant from discharging his duty.
"Out of the 50-plus people who were there, they only knew my name and my information chief's name.
"So we were accused of violating Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a civil servant from performing his duty," he said in a statement.
Syed Atif also claimed that he was only trying to avoid any negative perception towards Shahidan.
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