Fracas mars Galas by-election
Published: Nov 4, 2010 10:19 AM | Updated: Nov 4, 2010 3:53 PM
Pandemonium broke out briefly between a group of PAS and BN supporters at the SK Seri Wangi polling centre in Gua Musang this morning, but police stepped in just in time to prevent the incident from turning into a free-for-all.
Pandemonium broke out briefly between a group of PAS and BN supporters at the SK Seri Wangi polling centre in Gua Musang this morning, but police stepped in just in time to prevent the incident from turning into a free-for-all.
In the incident about 15 minutes after the polling for the Galas by-election started, a group of PAS supporters was said to have entered into the area where BN supporters were gathering.
They refused to budge when told to leave, according to eyewitness Mahmud Ismail, 56.
An argument broke out between both groups and before long, tempers flared, soon turning into a fracas.
However, minutes later, a group of the police's light strike force personnel came and broke up the fight.
Sarawak police's management chief Ahmad Soffian Md Yassin, who is the Galas police tactical operations deputy director, said police ordered both sides to return to their camps.
"We have also put up a police line to separate both groups. No arrest was made," he added.
Meanwhile, BN's deputy election director for the Galas by-election, Mustapa Mohamed, regretted the actions of PAS supporters
whom he described as being aggressive towards the BN's supporters.
"I was told that these are PAS supporters from outside the state," he told Bernama.
He also said that the BN had suggested to the Election Commission that camps of political parties not be set up near polling centres to prevent disturbance to the voters.
- Bernama
In the incident about 15 minutes after the polling for the Galas by-election started, a group of PAS supporters was said to have entered into the area where BN supporters were gathering.
They refused to budge when told to leave, according to eyewitness Mahmud Ismail, 56.An argument broke out between both groups and before long, tempers flared, soon turning into a fracas.
However, minutes later, a group of the police's light strike force personnel came and broke up the fight.
Sarawak police's management chief Ahmad Soffian Md Yassin, who is the Galas police tactical operations deputy director, said police ordered both sides to return to their camps."We have also put up a police line to separate both groups. No arrest was made," he added.
Meanwhile, BN's deputy election director for the Galas by-election, Mustapa Mohamed, regretted the actions of PAS supporters
whom he described as being aggressive towards the BN's supporters.
"I was told that these are PAS supporters from outside the state," he told Bernama.
He also said that the BN had suggested to the Election Commission that camps of political parties not be set up near polling centres to prevent disturbance to the voters.
- Bernama
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