Friday April 20, 2007
Missiles fly near centre
BATANG BERJUNTAI: It took a thousand policemen to keep frayed tempers in check as Barisan Nasional and opposition supporters squared off at the nominations for the Ijok by-election here.
Trouble was in the air right from the time both candidates embarked on the walk towards the nomination centre at the Batang Berjuntai Community Centre.
A tense situation developed when supporters from both sides, caught up in the heat of the moment, eyed each other and shouted slogans.
The tension mounted when the opposition procession accompanying Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim reached the Batang Berjuntai Tamil primary school, where Barisan supporters were gathered.
The opposition procession had difficulty continuing on to the nomination centre because of the large crowd of Barisan supporters there.
That started the shouting match of “Beri laluan lah! (Give way)” and “Pergi jalan lah! (Go away)”.
Then shouting and pushing ensued, when some PKR usherers called their supporters to “keep walking and not take any car rides because we do not have so much money like them”.
Barisan supporters retorted by shouting “Kita tak main belakang (We play straight)”.
Tempers then flared when supporters from both sides congregated on the field opposite the community centre.
The shouting match became more furious, and police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel moved in to form a barricade between the two camps.
The rain at about 10am did not cool things down and the shouting continued. Soon after, drinking bottles and sticks were flying across the field.
Leaders from the different political camps accused each other's supporters of starting the missile war.
Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo insisted they saw the opposition supporters throw the first few bottles.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali alleged it was the Barisan supporters who first threw bottles at the opposition supporters.
He added that two opposition supporters were hurt and had sought treatment at the hospital.
Asked if the opposition supporters had also thrown bottles at Barisan supporters, Azmin replied they did to so “to protect themselves”.
The shouting, chanting and the face-off continued even after the candidates for the by-election were announced at about 11.30am.
In separate press conferences later, leaders from both sides insisted they wanted a clean fight and called for calm from the supporters.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Barisan supporters always abided by the law and were in high spirits to earn the votes of locals in Ijok.
PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she was disappointed with the fracas, adding that the police should have moved in sooner to control the situation.
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