KUALA LUMPUR: Hundreds of cases of Malaysian election violence including a bomb explosion have been reported since campaigning for tightly contested May 5 polls got under way four days ago, police said Wednesday.
In the latest incident a bomb exploded in northern Penang state late Tuesday near a political gathering of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, resulting in a 35-year-old security worker being injured by flying debris.
“It was a time bomb. But it did not contain any splinters or shrapnel,” Rosli Chik, local police spokesman told AFP.
Police later found a second bomb in the area and detonated it.
Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim condemned the culprits responsible for planting the bombs.
“The timing of the explosion and location of these devices are highly suspicious and are clearly meant to create fear and provoke disorder,” Anwar said in a statement.
A total of 387 incidents were reported in the first three days of the two-week campaign, which kicked off Saturday, and at least 15 people have been arrested over the violence, national police spokesman Ramli Yoosuf told The Star newspaper.
“They were in possession of weapons such as machetes and suspected of slashing rival party supporters and criminal intimidation, mostly while putting up flags and banners,” Ramli was reported to have said.
He added that hundreds more incidents had been reported earlier, between the April 13 dissolution of parliament and the official start of campaigning.
The pro-government newspaper gave no indication of who was carrying out the acts of violence. The opposition has complained that their supporters have been victims in most of the attacks, although AFP has been unable to confirm this.
Malaysia is bracing for long-anticipated elections that experts say could herald the country’s first change of regime since independence from Britain in 1957.
The vote pits a coalition — dominated by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) that has ruled Malaysia with a tight grip for 56 years — against an upstart opposition promising a more liberalized society.
The independent group Bersih, which advocates clean elections, had previously warned that political violence and intimidation could potentially sway the expected close vote.
Ramli said the cases of violence included individuals attempting to run down rival political supporters in cars, adding that one election operations center in a northern state was set on fire, but giving no other details.
No deaths have yet been reported, but Malaysian media last week reported a man was left in a coma after a beating by ruling party supporters in the north of the country. The man was later reported to have regained consciousness.
-arabnews.com
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Malaysian election violence spikes with bombing
About sabahdaily
jgn nak timbulkan huru hara semasa PRU
ReplyDeletePeraturan sedia ada perlu dikuatkuasakan bagi mengelakkan keganasan sepanjang proses kempen pilihan raya selain satu penghormatan kepada undang-undang bagi mengekalkan keamanan sedia ada.
ReplyDeleteTindakan serta merta perlu diambil oleh pihak berkuasa seperti polis bagi membendung sebarang aktiviti membabitkan ahli parti yang bertanding pada PRU-13 kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.
ReplyDeleteJika tidak dikuatkuasakan dengan ketat, peraturan itu tidak memberikan sebarang makna dan sesiapa yang didapati bersalah berdasarkan laporan polis, tindakan perlu diambil.
ReplyDelete“Ia amat penting dan apabila polis sudah mengumpul maklumat dan dihantar kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara, maka saya kira tindakan akan diambil. Saya kira ia adalah satu proses normal dan tak perlu menunggu lama untuk tindakan,” kata Nazri Aziz.
ReplyDeleteMana-mana penyokong parti sepatutnya tidak terlibat dengan aktiviti keganasan sepanjang tempoh berkempen pada PRU-13.
ReplyDeleteThe general election must be allowed to go on without such violent acts if democracy is to continue to be our way of life.
ReplyDeleteEXPLOSIVES, Molotov cocktails, gang fights, and even cyber bullying have been hogging the attention of the public midway through what is supposed to be the most important general election in our country’s history.
Instead of important issues like what each side has to offer, or what changes they want to make, we are instead hearing of acts of violence normally unheard of in our 12 other elections.
There was trouble when the Communist Party of Malaya tried to disrupt the first federal election back in 1955 and killed anyone who tried to take part in the polls then, or after the contentious 1969 general election that eventually led to the May 13 incident.
ReplyDeleteThose days, tensions were high and the country was still in its infancy as all of us were then still trying to feel Malaysian.
Yes, in every election there had been some incidents but these were mostly due to a wrong word said in anger, but nothing premeditated, definitely not like what has happened in the past four days.
First there was the explosion in Nibong Tebal near a Barisan Nasional campaign centre. One person was slightly injured. The police found a second device nearby the next day but most people dismissed this as an isolated incident and even laughed off the devices as nothing more than firecrackers.
ReplyDeleteIt was not firecrackers; it was an IED or improvised explosive device.
However, the police have described the IED as one made by experts because it was made to create fear rather than injure. It takes real experts to do this right to make sure it gives out a loud noise with minimal damage.
Some critics even blamed the Barisan for “planting the device” in its own turf to create fear among the voters and to shift the blame to the opposition. However, to be fair, the Pakatan Rakyat was quick to come out and condemn the attack and to urge the authorities to act swiftly.
ReplyDeleteThere were several incidents all over the country, especially in hotly contested seats, on Wednesday night.
An angry resident at Kampung Timah in Kampar threw firecrackers at the Barisan Malim Nawar state seat candidate Chang Gwo Chyang who was making his rounds.
ReplyDeleteSuch violent acts are alien to Malaysia. Yes, we have seen it happening frequently in our neighbouring countries like Thailand and Indonesia. In fact, when compared to these two countries what has happened so far is nothing.
ReplyDeleteBut that’s just the point, it will start small and sooner rather than later, it will escalate into a huge monster running out of control. This has to be stopped at the source.
Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar got it right when he said the political leaders must keep their supporters under control because during ceramah, speeches tend to be fiery and emotions would be stoked.
ReplyDeleteAfter 56 years as a nation, one would have thought that we have learnt our lessons and learnt to live together. As we seek more democratic freedoms, we must be prepared to give and take without resorting to the antics of gangsters.
Cyber bullying of candidates, celebrities, journalists and leaders have already become common.
ReplyDeleteThe cyber attacks against international star Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh for appearing at a dinner in support of Barisan are well documented. Is she not entitled to show who she supports?
This is a general election where the call for change must be through the ballot box and not through bombs and fist fights.
ReplyDeleteI accept that it is a valid election tactic to stoke the emotions of the people so that they will side with you but those doing the instigation must also know when to pull their punches so that things do not go overboard.
Already the people are edgy and shops are reporting brisk sale of sundry goods. It will not be too wrong to say many are stocking up, in case things turn bad. There is nothing wrong in being prepared for all eventualities.
However, all politicians, especially those well known for their oratory capabilities, owe it to the country to make sure that in their politicking, they also condemn such acts of violence which are not the Malaysian way.
ReplyDeleteThe GE13 is no Arab Spring but a legitimate act of exercising one’s democratic right where there is no place for any form of violence.
Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) has announced that for the 6½ months period ending 15th July 2013 it has achieved a gross income of RM58.30 million.
ReplyDeleteThe income is derived from SAS’s Investment in the stock market (86.53%), dividend income (11.98%), and money market (1.49%).
ReplyDeleteAfter deducting manager’s expenses, provision for taxation and the 1st income distribution of RM30.79 million, the distributable income amounted to RM27.51 million
ReplyDeleteThe income distribution of 2.00 sen per unit will involve a net total payment of RM25 million. The calculation of the Interim Income Distribution is based on 1,249,500,000 units held as at 18th July 2013 being the last day of entitlement. This distribution represents a 6.39% income return based on the Net Asset Value (NAV) per unit of RM0.3132 as at 2nd January 2013.
ReplyDeleteWith the declaration of the 2nd Interim Income Distribution of 2.0 sen per unit and the 1st Interim Income Distribution of 2.0 sen per unit, SAS has declared to date a total of 4.0 sen per unit for the year 2013, which is an income return of 12.77% for the year.
ReplyDeleteThe income distribution will be paid to 53,379 investors comprising of 45,587 (85.40%) individual investors, 7,407 (13.88%) investors under the Hardcore Poor Scheme, 337 (0.63%) investors with bank loans and 48 (0.09%) corporate investors.
ReplyDeleteMarcus stated that to facilitate the payment of the income distribution, all transactions of SAS will be suspended from 19th July to 26th July. Trading will resume on Monday, 29th July 2013.
ReplyDelete