KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Police have arrested two men for allegedly searching a police patrol car for evidence of voter fraud during the Rantau by-election in Negri Sembilan yesterday.
Malaysiakini reported Negri Sembilan acting police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop as confirming that a 52-year old car salesman and a 36-year old lorry driver from Seremban and Rantau respectively were detained this afternoon.
“Both were picked up from their respective homes and have been identified as ordinary members of a political party. We are tracking down three other individuals to facilitate the ongoing investigation,” he said.
Earlier today, acting Deputy Inspector-General of Police CP Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador said the incident would be investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing any public servant in the discharge of their public functions.
“The offence carries an RM10,000 fine, two years imprisonment, or both,” he said in a statement.
Samseng sungguh orang Pakatan ni.. Ni la hasil pemupukan budaya samseng sejak zaman reformasi dulu.. Sampai geng2 ni bertumbuk la kat Rantau tadi pic.twitter.com/kdo9ggT41l
— Tun Faisal (@tunfaisal) 13 April 2019
Abdul Hamid added the case is also being investigated under Section 341 for wrongfully restraining a person, which carries aanRM1,000 fine, one month’s imprisonment, or both.
“The public is advised to not take matters outside the purview of the law and into their own hands, by obstructing any civil servant from discharging their official duties.
“Instead please report such instances to the police should any information pertaining violation of the law come to your attention,” he said.
A police report was lodged shortly after the incident took place at 6pm yesterday, which saw five Pakatan Harapan election workers stopping a police multi-purpose vehicle outside the voting centre in SJK© Chung Hua in Rantau.
The group forced the two police officers within the vehicle to open their boot, on suspicion of electoral fraud favouring BN.
The incident has since gone viral on social media, and was slammed by Election Commission chairman Azhar Harun as ‘gangsterish’.
Azhar told The Malaysian Insight the EC would decide tomorrow on what action it could take.
“This is a serious matter and it should not have happened. Trying to intimidate the police is an act of gangsterism.
“I am shocked that they did such an act to scare off the police and EC.
“I want leaders of all parties to control their members and supporters. This is a terrible thing, it’s as though there is no democracy in a free and fair election.
“Such acts must be stopped immediately. We can’t allow these things to continue, definitely not under my watch,” he told the news portal.
