KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Peter Anthony (pic) has been arrested over a riot that broke out at the nomination centre in Tenom on Saturday (Nov 5).
Sabah Police Commissioner Comm Datuk Idris Abdullah said the Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president was hauled in after a police report was lodged following the fracas that broke out at the DSP Antanom hall in Tenom.
He said police are investigating the case under Section 24A (2) of the Election Offences Act 1954, which states no person shall, on nomination day or days, wait or loiter within a distance of 50m from the limit of any place of nomination, and Section 147 of the Penal Code for rioting.
“The investigations then led to the arrest of Anthony to facilitate police probes,” he said in a statement here Sunday (Nov 6).
Comm Idris said the Melalap assemblyman was detained at around midnight at the Karamunsing police station here on Saturday and released on police bail on Sunday morning.
It is learned that Anthony was cooperating with the police’s request for a statement over the incident and later detained on arrival at the police station.
Police were forced to fire tear gas at KDM supporters who turned aggressive as soon as they found out Anthony’s nomination papers for the Tenom parliamentary seat were rejected by the Election Commission at about 11.30am Saturday.
Viral video clips showed supporters trying to force their way into the hall before Light Strike Force personnel fired the tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The videos also showed a large group of supporters carrying their party flags running and shouting outside the nomination centre.
Police reinforcements were deployed from neighbouring district to manage the situation, which was eventually brought under control at 2.38pm.
Anthony, who later lodged a police report over the rejection of his nomination papers, told reporters that he was perplexed as to why the EC pulled back his nomination papers despite approving his candidacy earlier.
He claimed his papers had been accepted earlier, but at 11am, he was informed that they had been rejected by the EC headquarters in Putrajaya.
He said he will also be filing an appeal with the High Court on Monday (Nov 7) to get the court to decide whether he is eligible to contest.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor subsequently condemned those who had caused trouble during the Tenom nomination process, saying there should not be any form of violence or unruly behaviour.
The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman urged all political parties and supporters to refrain from such actions to ensure a smooth election.
More to come
