PKR Youth members held for provocation, say police

The arrests made just before a planned flash mob to 'welcome' the PM to Permatang Pauh was not politically motivated, they state.

BUTTERWORTH: A group of PKR Youth members detained this morning by police during the prime minister’s visit were being investigated for provocation.

They were rounded up just before they could hold a flash mob demanding that Pakatan Harapan leader Anwar Ibrahim be freed.

Central Seberang Perai district police chief ACP Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid said they were picked up following information police received about a possible provocation in the area, which could have escalated.

He said the detention was not politically motivated as suggested by some but was merely a preventive measure to ensure peace in the area.

“We had merely taken them to be questioned for possible provocation. We let them go after questioning,” he said when contacted.

Nik Ros said 18 people were rounded up at 9.10am and were subsequently released about 3pm.

He said they were investigated under Section 109 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The section allows police to arrest anyone who might be about to commit an offence and it cannot be prevented.

The 18 people were about to hold a “welcoming” flash mob for Prime Minister Najib Razak outside Politeknik Seberang Perai on Jalan Permatang Pauh, Bukit Mertajam.

Najib was headed to the polytechnic for a free luncheon hosted by Permatang Pauh Umno.

But before they could begin the flash mob, they were stopped while walking to the polytechnic.

Seberang Perai municipal councillor Ong Jing Chen and PKR Youth member Fahmi Zainol were among the 18 arrested.

PKR’s flyers on the flash mob stated it was aimed at demanding Najib release PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently in jail for sodomising his aide.

Meanwhile, PKR Youth deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin said the arrested group had wanted to “welcome” Najib to Permatang Pauh, as he has never done so since taking office in 2009.

He blamed police for taking them in when they had not done anything wrong.

“They were exercising their right to assembly and personal liberty under the Federal Constitution,” Afif said when contacted. - FMT