KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — DAP’s Lim Kit Siang had likely provoked the violence yesterday at a Johor function that reportedly saw cups, bowls and even a broom thrown at him by individuals believed to be Umno members, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said.

Although the Umno secretary-general admitted that he has yet to obtain proof of provocation by the DAP, he said ground reports of the incident at Taman Megah Ria, Masai, indicated that the trouble only started when Lim said something deemed insulting at the event.

"Johor Umno will look into it. I don't know what happened but I have to say this: the opposition shouldn't provoke lah. This is the same thing as what happened in Penang, they provoked and you know humans will be humans.

"So don't do provocation… I heard that Kit Siang said something, not there but elsewhere and humans when you provoke them they will react," Tengku Adnan, or popularly known as Ku Nan, told Malay Mail Online.

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Details of the incident remain unclear but eyewitnesses claimed a group of about 50 people threw plastic bowls, cups and a broom at Lim and told the DAP leader to “mampus” (go die).

State news agency Bernama claimed in its report that the Umno members had done so after Lim criticised Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his speech.

Tengku Adnan said his party does not condone its members to behave violently but said no action will be taken as yet until he gets a better picture of things.

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"We are not a hooligan party, we will discipline our members if they are wrong".

News portal Malaysiakini reported that Lim was unhurt at the Johor DAP “Kopitiam Dialogue” talk and was escorted to safety by even organisers.

“They were shouting ‘Balik Kit Siang (Kit Siang must leave)’, ‘Babi (Pig)’, ‘Communist chauvinist’ and ‘Mampus (Go die)’,” an eyewitness told Malaysiakini.

The news portal reported that Lim was to address indigenous people from Sabah and Sarawak working in Pasir Gudang at the talk in Masai.

Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong from the DAP told Malaysiakini that some of those who attacked Lim were Pasir Gudang Umno division office bearers.

He also reportedly said a text message has been circulating recently, urging people to stop Lim from entering the area in what was dubbed a “jihad call to defend Islam and the position of the Malays”.

According to The Star Online today, police are currently investigating the incident and believe that the commotion started during Liew’s speech.