KUALA LUMPUR – Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi has denied being the person behind the #KerajaanGagal rioting incident in Parit Raja, Johor, which went viral on social media last night.
“There is some individual who is trying to link me to the gathering, burning of flares and displaying of the ‘Kerajaan Gagal’ (failed government) banner in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat.
“Possibly, this is because, firstly, I am Batu Pahat Umno chief, and secondly, because I have consistently said that the eighth prime minister’s government is a failed one,” he said, referring to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“It should be noted though that Parit Raja falls under the Sri Gading parliamentary constituency, and not Batu Pahat. Therefore, do not accuse at will,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Puad, who is former Batu Pahat MP, said the government should ponder what would drive people to make such a protest on Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“Don’t just think about arresting them,” he said, adding that the people of Parit Raja should be congratulated for their protest.
“Hopefully, the eighth prime minister will be aware of the reality.”
Police have since arrested a local man to assist in investigations for alleged rioting following the incident that occurred yesterday.
Batu Pahat district police chief Dollah Ismail reportedly said that the 21-year-old man was arrested at the Parit Raja police station at about 8.30pm after he was summoned to have his statement recorded on the incident.
He said that the police received an alert from the public at 11.04am that a banner with the wording “Kerajaan Gagal” was spotted on a pedestrian bridge at Jalan Parit Raja heading to Ayer Hitam, but a visit to the location found that it had been taken down.
“Not long after that, police received a report about a video of a rally, lighting of flares and raising of a banner that read ‘Kerajaan Gagal’, which did not comply with the set standard operating procedures (for the current movement control order).
“Initial investigation found that the incident occurred in Parit Raja and it is believed that the banner raised during the rally is the same banner that was spotted on the bridge,” he said in a statement last night.
The case is being investigated under Section 144/269 of the Penal Code and Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957. – May 14, 2021
