KUALA LUMPUR: A 30-year-old cook has been arrested for allegedly provoking members of the public during the National Day celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya in the early hours of Monday (Aug 31).
The man was arrested in Putrajaya after five police reports were lodged against him for allegedly inciting the crowd to push through the barricades to secure seats for the National Day parade.
The alleged provocation reportedly caused people nearby to surge towards the front of the seating area, resulting in a crush.
Several people were reportedly injured after they fell during the incident.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus confirmed the arrest, saying the suspect was being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
"Yes, we have arrested the man in the orange shirt for further investigation under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955," he said when contacted on Wednesday (Sept 2).
He urged members of the public with information on the incident to come forward to assist investigations.
A video of the incident, which went viral on Facebook, showed a man wearing an orange or brown shirt allegedly provoking members of the public who were waiting for the seating area gates to open.
The 2-minute 18-second video also showed the man allegedly pushing through the crowd, triggering a commotion that resulted in several people falling.
The incident is believed to have occurred at about 5am on Monday.
Police are expected to seek a remand order for the suspect on Wednesday to facilitate further investigations.
