Jammer found at Kuala Selangor polling centre
SHAH ALAM: Police have confirmed that a device found at Kuala Selangor Indoor Stadium, the voting venue for the Kuala Selangor PKR division election, is a “jammer”, a gadget that jams telecommunication signals.
Kuala Selangor police chief Superintendent Md Asri A. Wahab said investigations showed that the device was a “Mobile Phone Jammer 6 Antennas”.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for sabotage, which carries a jail term of not less than one year and not exceeding five years or fine and/or both upon conviction,” he said in a statement.
Police received a report from Kuala Selangor PKR Youth chief R. Sabahbathi at the Kuala Selangor police station at 2pm on the discovery.
Asri said the jammer was found in the seating area of the stadium by a Kuala Selangor District Council (MDKS) cleaner after the Kuala Selangor PKR division election yesterday was postponed as there was no telecommunication signal.
The new date for the division election will be decided by the Central Election Committee.
Kuala Selangor PKR division chief Juwairiya Zulkifli did not rule out that the device was placed to reduce the number of voters.
“When a postponement occurs, the percentage of votes will fall as they are disappointed, thus lowering the votes received by PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Rafizi Ramli.
“I hope party supporters and members will remain calm.”
In Shah Alam, the Central Election Committee was disappointed with the allegation of an attempt to sabotage the Kuala Selangor division election by using an Internet jammer.
Its chairman, Datuk Rashid Din, said the device jammed up the Internet and the e-voting could not proceed.
“Thus, the Central Election Committee postponed the Kuala Selangor division election at 12 noon,” he told Bernama yesterday.
He, however, did not mention a new date for the division’s election.
Meanwhile, chairs and punches were thrown at the PKR Tanjong Karang branch polling centre at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Sungai Gulang-Gulang.
It is learnt that the scuffle broke out between supporters of two branch chief candidates.
In the incident, supporters attempted to coax members to vote for their candidate at the entrance to the hall.
However, things took a turn for the worse when it led to a fistfight and chairs being hurled.
The fight lasted a minute before police and other party members stepped in.
Observation by the New Straits Times Press found police stationed in the area around the hall, including officers at the candidates’ tents.
In Kuala Lumpur, prior to the start of voting in Pandan yesterday morning, the situation became tense when voters got angry when the polling centre opened late.
The voters, who had been there since 9am, had to wait for almost two hours before the voting centre at the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Hall in Taman Chempaka opened at 10.40am.
It is learnt that voting was delayed because of the absence of People’s Volunteer Corps members to maintain security at the election centre.