KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — An aide to the Penang chief minister, Zaidi Ahmad, declined to lodge a police report against the man who assaulted and slapped him yesterday at a rally within a mosque’s compound.

Zaidi, formerly a major with the Royal Malaysian Air Force and now the chief minister’s information officer, reportedly said this was because the man was elderly.

“I went to the rally to hear what they were trying to express, but when I asked about the accusation, they could not answer and even acted aggressively by slapping my face.

“I do not plan to prolong this matter because the one who slapped me is an old man, so I will not lodge a police report,” he was quoted saying by local daily Sinar Harian.

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According to Sinar Harian, the incident happened around 2.30pm when Zaidi sought to ask Jaringan Muslimin Pulau Pinang chairman Mohamed Hafiz Mohamed Nordin questions, but was told to shut up by several rally participants.

A man reportedly in his 60s then slapped his face before police personnel stepped in, the paper reported.

Zaidi explained that he merely wanted Mohamed Hafiz to prove allegations that the Penang government interfered over fatwas, but claimed the latter failed to substantiate the accusations and even kept silent when quizzed about the rally.

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In a separate report by local daily New Straits Times (NST), Zaidi said Mohamed Hafiz’s supporters then became angry, with one slapping him after the latter could not answer his questions.

According to the NST, Mohamed Hafiz instead claimed that Zaidi had provoked the rally protesters.

“He touched me, resulting in the others shoving him.

“Anyway, we are planning to lodge a police report,” Mohamed Hafiz was quoted saying.