Police nab 20 over riot that went viral

JOHOR BAHRU: Twenty individuals have so far been arrested by police believed to be involved in a riot in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat which went viral on social media on Thursday.

Batu Pahat police chief ACP Ismail Dollah said the suspects who were local residents were aged between 16 and 28.

“Based on a police check, all of them have no criminal record and they would be remanded for four days until May 17,” he said in a statement here on Friday.

He added that investigation found the incident occurred at about 2 am on Thursday at a junction of Parit Raja town, at kilometre 22.5 Jalan Batu Pahat Kluang

“A group of about 40 people erected a roadblock with motorcycles and cars for 15 minutes to draw the attention of motorists apart from putting up a banner printed with the words “Kerajaan Gagal” while setting off flares and firecrackers.

“The banner was then brought down and hung at a pedestrian bridge in front of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Kong Nan after the incident,” he said.

Ismail also said further investigations are being carried out under Section 144, 269 and 505 (b) of the Penal Code; Section 8 of the Explosives Act; Regulations 17(1) of the Regulations on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2021 (Act 342) and also Section 48 of the Road Transport Act.

Thursday night, police said a 21-year-old man was picked up to assist investigation after receiving information from the public on a banner with the words “Kerajaan Gagal” at a pedestrian bridge on Thursday and the banner was put up without complying with the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP).