Malaysia police probe attack on Muda in Johor

Malaysian police on Sunday said they were investigating an attack on an event in Johor organised by the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), a youth-based political party helmed by former cabinet minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman.

Bottles and firecrackers were thrown during the incident on Saturday night, when some 30 masked individuals turned up at the event venue in Muar.

Sabah Muda chief Amos Thien sustained minor injuries after a fall, while party vice-president Lim Wei Jiet’s car was damaged in the fracas.

The attack comes as parties ramp up fundraising efforts and begin campaigning unofficially ahead of the general election on Nov 19. Official campaigning begins on nomination day, on Nov 5.

Johor Muda chief Azrol Rahani tweeted: “Provocation again! This time, throwing bottles and firecrackers, damaging cars. Everyone masked, why must you hide? This is evil politics. Never mind that we couldn’t get your photos, we have got your car plate number.”

Mr Syed Saddiq questioned the need for the provocation, saying he was only hosting a dinner event.

“They threw bottles, firecrackers and damaged a guest’s car,” he said on Twitter.

He posted several videos of the incident on Twitter, which showed two groups of people talking to each other before one group started shouting “Who are you?” and that they rejected Muda.

“Muar police will investigate the case under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012,” Muar police chief Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said in a statement Sunday.

This was the second such incident in Muar this month involving an unruly group of youths at a Muda event.

On Oct 16, a group of bikers, commonly referred to as “mat rempits”, heckled and revved their motorcycle engines to disrupt a speech by Mr Syed Saddiq.

The youth wing of Umno, which is a rival of opposition party Muda, has denied allegations from some Muda leaders that it was involved in the Oct 16 incident.

Datuk Hasni Mohammad, chief of the Johor chapter of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional alliance, criticised the attacks.

“I believe the people want the democratic process to be carried out maturely, especially in Johor. This political (thuggery) culture should not be a practice in this general election,” he said on Twitter.. “Do not turn Johor into a circus. We should be better than this,” he said.

Electoral reform group Bersih has also condemned the violence.

“Violent and hooligan culture cannot be part of a clean and free election culture. These acts are a form of negative campaigning and extreme provocation.

“Elections are for parties to contest based on ideas, policies, manifestos, and actions to help the people. Negative campaigning must be rejected by all Malaysians.

“Let’s not be intimidated and get out to vote to reject political violence,” said Bersih in a statement, adding that violence and hooliganism can be considered an election offence.

Promoting feelings of ill-will or hostility is also an offence under the Penal Code, it added. If convicted, a person can be imprisoned for up to five years, or fined up to RM10,000 (S$2,990), or both.

Mr Syed Saddiq has suffered similar harassment before.

In Oct 2020, he had to climb over a fence to escape dozens of rowdy youths who heckled him at an event.

During the 2018 general elections, there were also reports of unruly groups of youths, purported to be from Barisan Nasional, gatecrashing opposition rallies to cause havoc.

Mr Syed Saddiq, 29, founded Muda in Sept 2020.

He previously ran for Parliament in 2018, and became Malaysia’s youngest ever minister at the age of 25, as part of the Pakatan Harapan administration before it was toppled in 2020.

The former minister was one of the key proponents behind a constitutional amendment to lower the country’s voting age to 18 from 21, popularly known as Undi18, which was passed last year.

His party has entered into an electoral pact with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan and hopes to contest some 15 seats in the upcoming election.