Melaka cops receive six election-related complaints

MELAKA: Melaka police have received six election-related reports since yesterday, including four involving damage to or the loss of political parties' campaign materials.

Police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the complaints involved campaign flags being broken, removed, torn, burnt and damaged in several state constituencies.

He said the reports received yesterday included the loss of or damage to 22 campaign flags in Ayer Keroh, while about 150 Pakatan Harapan (PH) flags in Rumbia were believed to have been broken.

Police also received reports of PH flags allegedly being removed in Ayer Limau and Parti Bersama campaign materials being damaged in Paya Rumput, he said in a statement.

Dzulkhairi said police had also received a report concerning remarks by Seremban MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook on the disclosure of the pardon minutes involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The case is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Another report was lodged in Jasin over the alleged distribution of food baskets and cash estimated at RM50 in conjunction with Deepavali.

The incident was also linked to the presence of a Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate's representative. The case is being investigated under Section 10 of the Election Offences Act 1954, he said.

Dzulkhairi said the Criminal Investigation Department was investigating the reports to identify those involved.

Earlier, Parti Bersama candidate for Paya Rumput Abdul Rashid Abu Bakar alleged that his party's campaign materials had been damaged, including being set on fire.

He said party election workers discovered the damage between 4am and 7am yesterday. An inspection near the Jalan Bukit Rambai bridge found several flagpoles broken and one flag burnt.