KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 136 police reports were lodged with 50 investigation papers (IP) opened in six states involving various election offences throughout the 14th General Election from April 7 to last week.
In Sabah, a total of 71 reports were lodged and 24 IPs opened over damage caused to campaign posters, as well as for campaigning without a permit, since Parliament was dissolved on April 7.
In Selangor, 33 reports were received involving numerous offences throughout the five days of campaigning from nomination day on Saturday.
Selangor Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat said, from the total number of reports received, 15 investigation papers were opened since April 28 over criminal threats and breach of the Election Act 1954, apart from two cases of drones being flown illegally on nomination day.
In Johor, a total of 36 reports were received since nomination day on April 28. From that sum, 13 IPs were opened, while 23 were either referred to other agencies or deemed as ‘no further action’.
Kelantan police also received 24 police reports on damage to campaign flags since April 12 to Monday, while in Melaka, three reports were received.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said they arrested three men in their 30s and 40s in Bachok, Tanah Merah and Pasir Puteh.
In addition, five police reports were lodged in Negri Sembilan involving damage to campaign material such as posters and billboards, videos of political parties making unsubstantiated claims against their opponents, and defamatory statements made on social media.
In Kuala Lumpur, eight IPs were opened since Saturday, with one of them involving the Anti-Fake News Act 2018. The report was on Tun Dr Mahathir’s statement on the alleged sabotage of a private aircraft which was supposed to fly him to Langkawi.
Kuala Lumpur police chief, Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said, the IPs opened involved three cases of trespass, probed under Section 472 of the Penal Code.
In Pahang, three IPs were opened. Two were for cases in Bentong while the other was in Temerloh.
Pahang police headquarters media relations office, Assistant Commissioner Yahaya Othman said, two IPs were opened under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Fake News Act 2018, while another came under Section 4(a) of the Elections Act 1954.
Report by Shahrinnahar Latib, Rosliza Mohamed, Norasikin Daineh, Mohd Hasbi Sidek and Ayusliza Azizan
