CHEATING AGAIN! Cops deny harassing Azizah's campaign workers at P Pauh polls

BUKIT MERTAJAM - Police have brushed off the allegation that police was interfering with PKR campaign by calling the party workers to have their statements recorded in connection with a ceramah in Machang Bubok.

Permatang Pauh by-election police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Azmi Adam said police had never interfered with any political party campaign.

"We did not interfere with any campaign or ceramah and we did not receive any reports of any sabotage," he said in a Press conference at the Seberang Perai Tengah district police headquarters here today.

He was responding to the Machang Bubuk assemblyman Lee Khai Loon's accusation that the police of sabotaging PKR's campaign by recording the statement of the party campaign workers, as reported by a news portal.

Following the allegation, Azmi urged Lee to lodge a police report should the latter suspected any element of sabotage. Meanwhile, Azmi said police had opened investigations on three PKR ceramah held during the Permatang Pauh by-election nomination day on Saturday for allegedly not having permits.

He said the three rallies were being investigated under Section 24B of the Elections Offences Act 1954, which is punishable under Section 24B (3) of the same Act.

Azmi said police had received 15 reports on the first three days of the campaigning period, three of which involving the illegal rallies. "From April 24 until last night, a total 36 ceramah had been held and out of the total, 32 were organised by PKR and four by Barisan Nasional," he said.

He advised all political parties to apply for permits for ceramah so that the police could provide necessary safety advice to avoid untoward incident. Azmi also reminded political parties, candidates and supporters to adhere to the law when campaigning and refraining from playing up sensitive issues such as race and religions and also not disrupting or damaging political opponents' posters. - NST