GEORGE TOWN, May 21 — The police have detained 12 men to assist in investigations into the afternoon ruckus at the Penang legislative assembly which saw a group force their way into the House chambers.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalatrash Wahid told a brief press conference that the men, aged between 22 and 35 years, are members of various Malay non-governmental organisations.

“They will be remanded from tomorrow until we complete investigations,” he said.

The police are investigating the incident under section 448 and 427 of the Penal Code for “house trespass” and “committing mischief and damages”.

“We will investigate the intrusion into the state assembly and their actions in damaging the front gates to enter the premises,” ACP Mior said.

He confirmed that the state assembly security guard lodged a police report on the incident at about 4.35pm.

OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalatrash Wahid speaks to Jelutong Umno Youth chief Jasmin Noordin (right) during the demonstration outside the Penang legislative assembly in George Town May 21, 2014. — Picture by K.E. Ooi

At around 2pm this afternoon, a group of Umno members began gathering outside the Penang assembly building in George Town before violently breaching the gates to storm into the main hall.

They demanded to see Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer to extract an apology from the lawmaker who had allegedly uttered the words “Umno celaka” (Umno be damned) yesterday.

More than 10 of them created a ruckus inside the main hall while demanding to know where Rayer sits in the hall.

Security guards scrambled to get the intruders to leave the hall but they left only after being persuaded to do so by officials.

After exiting the hall, they joined about 40 others outside the gates who were rowdily demanding for Rayer to come out and apologise but the lawmaker was not present.

ACP Mior said Rayer had also lodged a police report that he was threatened at the state legislative assembly.

On the incident at the legislative assembly, he said the police had received information of the crowd gathering at 1.30pm.

He said the police at the scene had immediately called for backup when the group shook and breached the main gate.

“We sent two trucks of light strike force to control the situation and to stop them from entering the premises again,” he said.

As for the group’s ominous promise that it will turn up again tomorrow morning, ACP Mior said the cops would be ready to handle the situation.

“We will have sufficient police on duty to ensure nothing untoward happens tomorrow,” he said

The group had said they would return tomorrow morning as a show of support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen.

BN state assemblymen came out to meet with the group briefly this afternoon and assured them that they will demand for Rayer’s apology and retraction of the words in the assembly morning session.

“I assure you, we will all demand that he retract and apologise,” state Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid told them.

Umno protesters breach the gates of the Penang state assembly building in George Town May 21, 2014. — Picture by K.E. Ooi