SEREMBAN: Police have opened seven investigation papers during the five-day campaigning period between March 30 and April 3 for the Rantau state assembly by-election.
Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) media relation officer for the Rantau by-election, DSP Ahmad Jamaluddin said police reports were opened separately under Section 427 of the Penal Code for treason, Section 506 of the Penal Code (criminal intimidation), Section 509 of the Penal Code (saying things with intent to insult), Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act, Section 24B(3) of the Election Offences 1954, namely, campaigning without valid permit and Section 24B (10) of the Elections Act 1954.
“The seven investigation papers opened were from 34 police reports received from the nomination day (March 30) to yesterday. Police arrested three men over the five-day period, two arrests under Section 427 of the Penal Code and one arrest under Section 506 of the Penal Code. They are in their 40s to 50s,“ he told a press conference here, today.
He said the two arrested under Section 427 of the Penal Code were for burning a flag, while the one arrested under Section 506 of the Penal Code was for threats made over the phone.
He said the duo arrested over the burning of the flag were remanded for three days, while the one being investigated for threatening over the phone was remanded for two days.
Meanwhile, he confirmed that independent candidate R. Malarvizhi had lodged a police report today on the personal contribution of a member of Parliament in the form of free food coupons programme worth RM75,000 to 300 underprivileged students from five schools in the vicinity of Rantau, recently.
“The police report was lodged at the Seremban district police headquarters at 10.45am and the case is being investigated under Section 8 of the Election Offences Act,“ he said.
He also confirmed that a voter lodged a police report yesterday after receiving a phone call asking him to collect RM50 at the Barisan Nasional (BN) counter before casting his ballot on April 13.
The Rantau by-election to be held on April 13, will see a four-cornered fight between Pakatan Harapan’s Dr Streram, Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who is also former Negri Sembilan mentri besar, and two independent candidates, namely housewife R. Malarvizhi and former lecturer Mohd Nor Yassin.
The by-election was called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad to set aside the Seremban Election Court decision on Nov 16 to declare his unopposed victory in the 14th General Election null and void. — Bernama
