Thursday May 9, 2013

GE13: Seven Malaysians voters assaulted after being accused as foreigners

By JOSEPH KAOS Jr
joekaosjr@thestar.com.my

KUALA TERENGGANU: Seven men were roughed up during polling day at SK Ladang here after supporters of a political party accused the group of being “phantom voters” from Bangladesh.

Police said three of them were held captive until the end of the polling period and were not able to cast their votes.

The bullied group, of Indian ethnicity and locals, had studied at a university here previously and were registered voters in Kuala Terengganu.

They were said to have come from other states to cast their ballots.

The party supporters, however, were not convinced they were Malaysians and acted roughly on the seven men.

One of the supporters allegedly held a parang to one of the victims' neck.

Three of the voters, however, were said to have come to the wrong place at SK Ladang to vote when they were supposed to vote at SK Sultan Sulaiman 2.

“The party supporters became suspicious and acted violently against the three men,” said Terengganu police chief Datuk Jamshah Mustapa yesterday.

“The three eventually were not able to cast their votes as they were held captive by the supporters until polling time was over,” added Jamshah.

He said the police had yet to identify the alleged bullies.

Meanwhile, a 30-year-old self-employed man from Manir, near here, was sentenced to a day's jail and fined RM3,000 for hurting two men who were also mistaken as phantom voters.

The victims, both aged 26, were on their way home from voting in Teluk Pasu when several supporters stopped them and brought them to their tent.

The accused punched the two men while questioning the victims at the tent.

Since the dissolution of the last parliament, 53 election-related problems have been reported and police have made charges in seven cases.

Jamshah said overall, the police were pleased that the election period had gone smoothly without major problems.

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Thursday May 9, 2013

GE13: Seven Malaysians voters assaulted after being accused as foreigners

By JOSEPH KAOS Jr joekaosjr@thestar.com.my

By JOSEPH KAOS Jr
joekaosjr@thestar.com.my