IPOH – Police are investigating the extortion of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate for the Hulu Kinta state seat, Datuk Mazlan Abd Rahman, by unknown parties who demanded RM300,000 from him.
Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the case is being investigated under Section 385 of the Penal Code following a report by the 50-year-old victim.
“He received the threats from an unknown phone number while campaigning.
“The victim was threatened to pay RM300,000, failing which, the suspect would spread letters, leaflets, and viral messages on social media to discredit the victim with the intention of bringing him down,” he said in a statement here today.
Meanwhile, Mazlan said he received the threat via WhatsApp at about 6pm on Tuesday and 11.34am yesterday before making a report at the Tambun police station at noon yesterday.
He expressed his disappointment as he did not defame any parties during the campaign and would leave it to police to conduct an investigation and arrest the parties involved.
“In the campaign I didn’t touch the personal lives of my challengers or any people, and I even hugged the opposing party when we met during the campaign, as my concept is to be friends with anyone.
“The threat will not make me withdraw from the general election and I am firm in continuing the struggle for the people of the Hulu Kinta state constituency – and I do not have the money to pay the criminal,” he said when met in Bandar Baru Tambun here today .
He said the content of the messages and the sender’s phone number had been handed over to police and hoped that all parties would campaign fairly for the sake of democracy.
He said that the threats would not break his spirit as he has gone through various twists and turns, besides being defamed, in his 28-year political career.
Mazlan is in a four-cornered fight with incumbent Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad (Pakatan Harapan), Puteri Holijah Mohd Rali (Perikatan Nasional), and Murugiah Subramaniam (independent) for Hulu Kinta, which has 74,292 voters. – Bernama, November 11, 2022
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