Jamal Yunos: I knew a week ago that fracas would take place

PETALING JAYA: Umno's Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos has claimed that he knew a week ago that a fracas would break out at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum on Sunday.
Speaking to a news portal, Jamal claimed he was informed that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) would create the ruckus an hour after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad started to answer questions from the audience.
The Sungai Besar Umno division leader said Umno was not part of the trouble.
"I knew about the ruckus a week before the event," the news portal quoted him as saying. "That is why there were no Umno men during the forum. They (PPBM) wanted to create the trouble an hour after Mahathir spoke. That was the plan so Mahathir does not need to give any answers to the public.
"I have no problem with them wanting to accuse me or Umno. That is their game plan. Who else are they going to blame? Of course, it will be Umno or me."
The red shirt leader alleged that those involved in the scuffle and chaos were paid RM50 each by Armada (PPBM Youth wing).
"They were all paid by Armada. RM50 each with mineral water bottles and t-shirts. They can go ahead and blame us. We just don't care. Umno and myself, we don't even care about the forum yesterday. We were busy with our own agenda," he said.
PPBM Youth exco member Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim had refuted an allegation made by former PKR man Badrul Hisham Shaharin that the ruckus was caused by PPBM's own members.
"It does not make any sense at all. Why do we want to cause trouble at our own programme? Saying that it was planned by Mahathir in his bid to escape the crowd was nonsensical," the portal quoted him as saying.
Three men believed to be involved in the fracas at the forum had been remanded for four days to facilitate investigations.
Shah Alam district police chief ACP Shafien Mamat yesterday said the suspects aged between 17 and 19 are being investigated under Section 15(2) Peaceful Assembly Act (APA 2012), Section 153 of the Penal Code for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot and Section 6 of the Explosive Act 1957.
On Sunday, pandemonium broke out after chairs were thrown and shoes flung on stage as Mahathir was speaking. Two flares were ignited in the hall.