KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 ― Members of a Bersih 2.0 nationwide convoy claimed they were assaulted by the group dubbed "Red Shirt" in Teluk Intan, Perak today while making way from Parti Amanah Negara's office there to the town’s iconic leaning tower.
According to the electoral watchdog steering committee member Jay Jay Denis, the group of over 30 was stopped during their march by the Sg Besar Umno chief Datuk Jamal Yunos and his red-shirted men, who proceeded to tear a banner and allegedly punched one of the yellow-shirted men.
The attackers went on to charge at the Bersih group before the yellow-shirted men decided to fall back, Jay Jay added.
"We were making our way from the Amanah building to the Menara some 100 meters away. We were stopped by Jamal who told us to go away.
"While we were negotiating, he tore our banner and started charging. He punched one of our guys," he told Malay Mail Online.
Jamal Yunos menumbuk seorang daripada #Bersih5 di Jalan Besar Teluk Intan. Kerakusan di jalan raya pic.twitter.com/P7D0mVJULK
Advertisement— Jay Jay Denis (@jayjaydenis) October 1, 2016
Earlier during the day, the convoy kick-off in Lumut, Perak was also disrupted by Jamal and the red-shirted men.
Bersih 2.0 secretariat manager Mandeep Singh said the group had cordoned off their initial gathering location in the morning.
When members of the polls reform group's convoy gathered some 1km away, the group followed them and started harassing them, Mandeep explained.
"Despite us going elsewhere, they gathered and attacked us. When the convoy started moving, 30 to 40 bikers started surrounding the cars.
"They tried kicking, punching and ripping off the Bersih flags from the cars," he told Malay Mail Online.
Baju merah Jamal & Co membuat kacau bilau di Lumut semasa pelancaran #Bersih5 pic.twitter.com/qojkzSFZ42
— Jay Jay Denis (@jayjaydenis) October 1, 2016
The Bersih convoy which had more than 40 cars was finally escorted by the authorities from Ayer Tawar to Teluk Intan for the next leg of their convoy.
Bersih's nationwide convoy starts today in the lead up to the fifth edition of their rally in Kuala Lumpur on November 19.
Among other areas in which the convoy was launched today include Kelantan, Sabah, Perlis and Johor.
Several of the locations also saw groups of red-shirted men gathering to protest against the electoral watchdog, but most of them were uneventful and appeared to be peaceful unlike the one in Perak.
Jamal had previously pledged to hound Bersih's convoy all over the country with his red-shirted men.
Earlier today, Umno Secretary General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor warned that a riot might ensue if both these parties kept locking horns.
