The Malaysian Insight

ONE of the youths remanded by police after Sunday’s fracas at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum does not know anything about politics, a relative said, adding that he thought he was going to a concert.

The relative, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Malaysian Insight that the detainee even asked his father what was “Armada” when the family went to see him at the Shah Alam police station on Sunday, hours after he was arrested.

“He asked his father that. Probably the police were asking him questions related to that (Armada),” the relative said.

Armada is a Youth wing of the newly formed Bersatu, chaired by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Youth wing were the organisers of the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum, which was disrupted midway on Sunday afternoon after flares were lit, and chairs and slippers thrown towards the stage where Dr Mahathir was speaking.

The forum was to give Dr Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Razak a platform to debate the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and other issues. Najib, however, was at another function in Malacca.

According to the relative, the youth told his parents that he thought he was going to a concert. He said the event had started when he got there.

The youth and few others were asked to gather in Setiawangsa on Sunday and were given T-shirts with the word “Armada” on it. They were also given RM50 to attend the event.

“He was told that it was a concert. So, he went along,” the relative said, adding that he did not ride his motorcycle to the event but followed others in a car.

“That is what the family know so far. Now my concern is, how long more will he have to be in there (police custody)?

“He never caused trouble. He is still a student and I do not want this to affect his study.”

The source was speaking to The Malaysian Insight today after accompanying the youth’s mother to the Shah Alam magistrates’ court where police obtained a remand extension of four days against the detainees.

Police have so far detained 13 people in connection with the case. They are being investigated under the Peaceful Assembly Act, the Penal Code for rioting and the Corrosive and Explosive Substance and Offensive Weapons Act.

Both the opposition and the government have blamed each other for the fracas.

The opposition wants Najib to take responsibility for what happened as the police failed to maintain peace and order.

The prime minister’s aide, Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, blamed the opposition for the chaos, pointing out that Pakatan Harapan is “fundamentally divided”.

The Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar had also blamed Bersatu, saying as the organisers of the event, they were responsible for security and safety of those who attended the forum. – August 17, 2017.