Petrol bombs thrown at DAP HQ in Ipoh

Three homemade Molotov cocktails were hurled at DAP’s Perak headquarters in Ipoh early this morning but no one was injured from the attack.

In the 2.20am incident, two individuals on a motorbike with helmets were spotted hurling the fire bombs outside the DAP office in Bandar Ipoh Raya.

The bombs shattered the glass panel of the windows in the headquarters, which was located on the second floor of the two-storey shoplot, a stone throw away from the Perak state assembly building.

However, the bombs bounced off the windows as they had been boarded up and they fell onto the street below.

The office, which is on top of a restaurant, was empty at the time of the attack.

A security guard, Ammeri Ahmad, who was on duty at a school opposite the building witnessed the incident, and he lodged a report at Ipoh’s central police station this morning.

According to Bernama, Ammeri said he saw two men throwing something at the windows of the DAP office, causing two loud explosions.

When he approached the shophouse the men took off on a motorcycle.

DAP state leader and senior executive councillor Ngeh Koo Ham told Malaysiakini that he believed the attack was politically motivated.

"However, I cannot comment if this was related to Karpal," he said when asked whether the incident was connected to the controversy over DAP chairman Karpal Singh's questioning on the limits of the sultans' constitutional powers.

Ngeh condemned the attack and called upon the parties responsible “to respect the new state government which was chosen by the rakyat”.

“Even though only a few windows were broken, we took this matter very seriously,” said Ngeh, who along with other party leaders inspected the premises this morning.

"The incident was clearly an attempt to torch our party's office and we hope the culprits will be arrested soon."

Police: Case under investigation

Contacted today, an officer from the police station said the case was under investigation.

According to him, the case is classified under “damage to property”.

“We can’t classify it under crime as it involved unknown persons,” he said.

However, he could not confirmed that the incident was politically motivated.

Meanwhile, police chief Supt Idris Abdullah said no one has yet been arrested in connection with the incident.

DAP leader Lim Kit Siang had also condemned the attack and called for a thorough probe.

"We deplore the action taken on our offices and want an immediate and full investigation to determine what happened and for the police to take action." he said.

"Although no great harm was done, such contemptible action must be nipped in the bud and not be condoned in any manner by any party or individual as all Malaysian...".

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which DAP is a key member, took control of Perak in March - the first time it has been in opposition hands.

The new government has a narrow three-seat majority in the 59-seat state assembly.