Nine held in protest against Penang administration (Update)

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 29, 2011): Nine people were arrested in a protest against the Penang state government held in front of Komtar this afternoon.

The gathering of some 300 people comprising several state non-governmental organisations (NGO) including Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sejati Malaysia.

The group, wearing yellow, caused massive traffic congestion around the area in their hour long protest which began at about 12.45pm.

They marched some 800m along Penang Road to Komtar, disrupting traffic flow.

The group asked for the resignation of Komtar assemblyman Ng Wei Aik, alleging that he is rude and unfit to be an assemblyman.

In response, the police were forced to cordon off Lebuh Tek Soon to the rest of the public, forcing the assembly away from Komtar which also houses the state administration offices.

Some 100 police personnel including the Light Strike Force units were stationed near the entrance of Komtar to block the group from moving further.

Penang Perkasa Northeast district chief Mohd Rizuad Mohd Azudin said that the group wanted to submit a memorandum to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng which include to remove Ng, who is also Lim's political secretary.

He also expressed dissatisfaction over the state government's treatment towards the Malays.

Two Jalan Gurdwara residents Fatimah Sharmin Abdullah and Sarimah Packeer Mohd, who were part of the group, had also asked Ng to apologise to them publicly for allegedly making racist comments against them last week.

Rizuad and two other Perkasa members were later accompanied by police to hand the memorandum to Information Assistant officer in the Penang Chief Minister's office Zuliana Aziz at the entrance of Komtar, who represented Lim.

Lim, who is also the Bagan MP and DAP Secretary-General, is attending the Parliament sitting in Kuala Lumpur.

After Zuliana accepted the memorandum, police led Rizuad and eight others away, into their custody.

Northeast District acting police chief Supt Ahmad Bakhtiar Kassim told reporters that the nine were were arrested under Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 for illegal assembly. They were released later.

No untoward incident occurred and the protesters dispersed around 2pm.