Rusila : police clash with PAS supporters, 20 arrested
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 08, 2008
Fauwaz Adbul Aziz

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan disclosed today that 20 people were detained following a ruckus involving hundreds of PAS supporters in Rusila, Terengganu, this morning. MCPX

The police used tear gas around 11am to disperse the crowd - described by Musa as numbering "200 to 300 people" - after they had gathered around and stopped two buses and several cars which PAS supporters suspected were ferrying phantom voters brought by BN.

The PAS supporters had also ordered at least 76 people in the buses and cars to surrender their identity cards, said Musa.

police pc bukit aman rusila arrest 080308 musa hassanPAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's son Mohamad Khalil, 31, was among those arrested.

Musa said four police cars, one Federal Reserve Unit bus, two anti-riot police (Poru) jeeps, and one police van were damaged by the stone-throwing PAS supporters.

He also said no police personnel or PAS supporters were injured. By 1:30 pm, the police had brought matters under control and returned the ICs to their owners.

"The situation has returned to normal, and the FRU are still monitoring the area," he told a press conference at Bukit Aman this afternoon.

"The voters have resumed to carry out casting their ballots," he added, contradicting an earlier report that voters had become too fearful to come out to cast their ballots.

Rusila is an area under the Rhu Rendang state seat which Abdul Hadi is defending. The seat also falls under the Marang parliamentary constituency which is also contested by Abdul Hadi.

Stern action to be taken

Issuing a stern warning against "whichever quarter wants to act contrary to the laws or behave wildly, threaten voters or stop them from voting," Musa said the police will crack down "hard against them and charge them in court."

Those arrested will be investigated for criminal intimidation, unlawful confinement and rioting, said Musa.

"We will also investigate whether their (PAS) leaders were involved by given orders to their followers to act this way. We will also take action against them," he added.

rusila riot police protest 080308Questioned as to whether or not it had been determined that the voters were genuine voters or phantom voters, Musa said: "If their names are there, they are legal voters. If their names are not there, they cannot vote. They will check with the (Election Commission) EC.

"There’s no such things as phantom voters. These are outstation voters who are registered to vote there though they are not staying there. They are legal voters," he added.

Speaking of an incident yesterday which occurred also in Terengganu, Musa said four people had been arrested for stopping five buses also suspected of ferrying phantom voters.

Two machetes were seized, he said.

Earlier today, Terengganu Police Chief Ayub Yaakob said 22 people had been detained for investigations. He also denied rumours that the police had fired live bullets at the crowd.

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