Video of brawl outside Bukit Mertajam Hospital from 2023, say cops

 Penang police chief Azizee Ismail clarifies that only religious processions and the annual Thiruvilla prayer ceremony took place yesterday.

Footage from a video showing what appeared to be a brawl outside Bukit Mertajam Hospital, which police said is an old recording and not connected with recent events at the shrine.

PETALING JAYA:

 Police have clarified that a video that has resurfaced on social media depicting a brawl outside Bukit Mertajam Hospital is from 2023 and is not related to any event yesterday.

Penang police chief Azizee Ismail said checks confirmed that no untoward incidents occurred at the hospital yesterday.

“Yesterday, there were only religious processions and the annual Thiruvilla prayer ceremony (by the nearby Hindu shrine),” he told FMT.

“The procession went smoothly and concluded at about 11.30pm without any disturbance to public order.”

The video had been shared by controversial preacher Zamri Vinoth and others.

Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus Pulau Pinang (Surplus) had planned to organise a protest against the shrine, but later scrapped it after meeting its management committee and Seberang Perai Tengah police chief Helmi Aris.

Several politicians, including Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, had lodged police reports after Zamri called for the shrine’s demolition in an earlier Facebook post. - FMT