KUALA LUMPUR – Muda information chief Luqman Long has called on authorities to identify the true “mastermind” behind the chaos at a party ceramah last year, after two aides to Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs were hauled in by cops today.
Chastising the authorities for summoning Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman’s aide Noor Suhana Ishak to give her statement over tweets posted regarding the commotion, Luqman also questioned the current status of probes into the incident.
“What are the latest updates on police investigations into this case?
“The investigation into Suhana is not only unimportant, but also wastes time that should be used to find the real mastermind (of the commotion),” he said in a Twitter post.
He added that the brief mayhem, which disrupted Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s campaign speech in the leadup of the 15th general election (GE15) caused some spectators to be injured by objects thrown by instigators.
“The provocation even disrupted Muda’s work during GE15 and scared many on-duty volunteers,” he said.
Earlier today, Suhana said that she has been summoned by an investigating officer to give her statement at the Sentul district police headquarters at 2pm tomorrow.
She added that Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli’s press secretary Farhan Iqbal will also be recording his statement at the Putrajaya district police headquarters at 10am. Rafizi is also PKR deputy president.
“Both Farhan and I will be investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code (for defamatory statements) and Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 (involving the misuse of communications network),” she said in a tweet.
It was previously reported that a group of youth had caused a scene at the “Mega Muar” ceramah on October 16 and a “Malam Mesra Muo” event just a week later.
On October 18, Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said that five police reports were lodged over the former event, which took place in Parit Jawa.
Police also said that they will be investigating the latter incident, with Muar police chief Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz saying that probes will be carried out under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
Farhan, who was then Syed Saddiq’s head of strategic communications, had claimed that Barisan Nasional linchpin Umno was behind the incident.
Muar Umno Youth chief Helmy Abdul Latif had subsequently denied the party wing’s involvement in any of the antics, stressing that he strongly rejects any form of provocation in politics. – The Vibes, January 25, 2023