Penang executive councillor Dr Afif Bahardin's photo had appeared on banners in Seberang Prai promoting a dinner to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Hatyai Peace Accord event held on November 29. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, December 10, 2014.A Penang executive councillor from PKR was questioned by police today for his alleged involvement in a dinner commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Hatyai Peace Accord last month.
State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin's photo had appeared on banners in Seberang Prai promoting the event held on November 29.
The banners also featured the photos of PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu (Mat Sabu), former Penang PKR Youth chief Amir Ghazali and the late Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) secretary-general Chin Peng.
Police have since received 25 reports over the banners from people expressing fear that there were attempts to revive communist ideology in the country.
Dr Afif said he was told police were probing into the matter under Section 505 of the Penal Code, which states that it is an offence to cause fear or alarm to the public, whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity.
Dr Afif said he was interviewed by an inspector for about 40 minutes at the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, this morning.
"I was asked about my alleged involvement in the event since my photo was printed on the banners.
The banner in Seberang Prai featuring Dr Afif Bahardin, Mohamad Sabu, Amir Ghazali and Chin Peng. – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 10, 2014.
"I explained, as I have said before, that I have no involvement in the event," he said outside the police station, accompanied by his lawyers Lim Boon Beng and Mohd Izad Buqhary.
Dr Afif, who is also PKR Youth deputy chief, said he had denied his involvement from the start, since discovering his photo was printed on the banner.
He said he lodged a police report over the banners on November 27.
"I believe this is an attempt to slander me, disrupt my work in my constituency, the state and the country," he said, adding that he hoped police would also investigate his report.
When asked if the other two Pakatan Rakyat leaders whose photos were also on the banners, had given their statements to the police, Dr Afif said only Amir had been called up.
"I don't know about Mat Sabu," he said.
The dinner organised by the 21st Century Malaysia Friendship Association, which commemorated the signing of the peace agreement among the Malaysian and Thai governments and CPM in Hatyai on December 2, 1989, was held in Taman Chai Leng, Prai, next to Dr Afif’s state constituency of Seberang Jaya.
Dr Afif said he also recently lodged a report on the arson incident at his service centre.
"Investigation is ongoing and I hope police will find the culprit soon."
He also urged the police to talk to Permatang Pauh Umno chief Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said, who had alleged that Permatang Pauh had many illegal businesses.
Zaidi had made the allegation at the Umno general assembly, claiming the Chinese in Penang gained wealth and power through illegal activities. – December 10, 2014.
Comments
Please refrain from nicknames or comments of a racist, sexist, personal, vulgar or derogatory nature, or you may risk being blocked from commenting in our website. We encourage commenters to use their real names as their username. As comments are moderated, they may not appear immediately or even on the same day you posted them. We also reserve the right to delete off-topic comments