Police reports lodged against 2 Umno leaders over campaign remarks

 PH's legal team calls for thorough probes into remarks on MB's appointment, and claim that Negeri Sembilan DAP 'controls the palace'.

Umno leaders Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki (left) and Shukri Shamsuddin are the subject of separate police reports over remarks made during the Negeri Sembilan election campaign.

PETALING JAYA:

Police reports have been lodged against two Umno leaders over separate remarks touching on race and the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar’s post, as the state heads to the polls on Aug 1.

Pakatan Harapan’s election legal team said it was notified of several police reports from individuals and civil society groups regarding a statement by Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki on appointing the menteri besar.

The team said investigators should determine whether Asyraf’s remarks misrepresented the constitutional process for appointing the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, and whether they breached Section 4A of the Election Offences Act 1954, which prohibits promoting ill will or hostility.

“We believe politics should not involve dragging racial issues into election discourse, especially when the legal position on appointing the menteri besar is already clearly provided for under the state constitution.

“Statements that have the potential to create misunderstanding about the legal position, or that associate race as a political factor, could undermine social harmony and public confidence in the democratic process,” it said in a statement today.

The team urged the police and the Election Commission to conduct thorough and independent investigations into the reports.

Asyraf had suggested that DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook could be a candidate for the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar’s post if Aminuddin Harun loses the contest for Linggi.

Loke has since dismissed Asyraf’s suggestion as malicious, pointing out that the state constitution requires the menteri besar to be a Malay-Muslim assemblyman.

Separately, Negeri Sembilan DAP lodged a police report over a claim by another Umno leader that the party “controls the palace”.

State DAP publicity secretary Lim Chun Weng described the allegation as malicious, baseless, and intended to frighten Malay voters, Sin Chew reported.

“Umno must stop making racially charged statements to frighten Malay voters,” he was quoted as saying after filing the report at the Seremban police station.

The report comes after a 21-second video clip, which has gone viral, showing Rembau Umno information chief Shukri Shamsuddin addressing a group at a house, and allegedly saying that DAP was “controlling” the palace and state powers to the point that the “dignity” of certain communities had been affected.

The Negeri Sembilan palace has since reminded political parties contesting the state election not to involve the monarchy in their campaign speeches or activities.- FMT