Masterminds behind Saddiq event ruckus nabbed

JOHOR BARU: Less than a day after an incident here sent Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and his fellow Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leaders bolting, police have picked up two individuals believed to have masterminded the ruckus.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said efforts were ongoing to track down the others involved.

“Two individuals, who are believed to be the masterminds behind the incident, have been arrested to assist the police in investigations, ” he said in a statement yesterday.

The case is being investigated under Sections 153 (provocation with intent to riot), 355 (assault with intent to dishonour), 357 (assault in attempt to wrongfully confine) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Penal Code.

Earlier, Johor police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Kamaruddin Md Din said a task force had been set up to investigate the incident.

The provocation happened during a gathering of Bersatu Armada (youth wing) members, with some of their family members in attendance, at a resort in Ulu Tiram on Friday night.

Comm Kamaruddin said police received a report about a group of about 100 to 150 youths clad in black T-shirts, who had entered the area where the programme was being held.

“They started causing chaos at the scene, but police were able to control the situation before any untoward incident happened, ” he said in a statement.

He added that based on initial investigations, the group was believed to have yelled rude remarks at those present at the function.

“The remarks also had the element of threats and the group acted aggressively at the scene, ” he said.

Syed Saddiq, who was there with his parents, said he was forced to flee by climbing over a fence.

In a Facebook posting not long after the chaos, the Muar MP claimed that they were surrounded by a group of about 200 uninvited guests clad in black.

“YB Rafiq (Melaka exco member Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen), YB Mazlan (Johor Bersatu chief and Puteri Wangsa assemblyman Mazlan Bujang) and I were forced to escape the scene through a backdoor and climb over a fence like criminals, ” he wrote.

Syed Saddiq, who is also Bersatu Armada chief, added that there were children present as well.

An Armada source said the heckling began when Syed Saddiq was addressing the gathering.

“We noticed that several unfamiliar faces had been present since the event started. They were mostly wearing black T-shirts and were just hanging around the area initially.

“It was only when the minister was giving his speech that the group started to cause havoc, ” he said.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim of PKR urged police to act quickly on the incident.

“Investigation papers need to be opened immediately on a crime of a ‘gangster’ nature.

“Witnesses should be called (to assist in investigations) and prosecution in court must take place so that no one in Malaysia, a country with law and constitution, can escape a fair legal system, ” he posted on Facebook.