326 ceramah permits issued in Sabah

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have issued a total of 2,148 ceramah (political talks) permits nationwide throughout the campaigning period for the 15th general election (GE15).

Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) GE15 operations director, Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali said of the total, 326 permits were issued in Sabah, Pahang (300), Sarawak (293), Perak (221), Johor (208), Kedah (180), Kelantan (147), Selangor (112), Negeri Sembilan (103), Melaka (94), Terengganu (89), Pulau Pinang (40), Perlis (23), and Kuala Lumpur (12).

He said no ceramah held without permits was reported yesterday.

In addition, police also opened 20 investigation papers nationwide, namely four each in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, followed by three in Sarawak, two in Sabah and one each in Kedah, Perak, Melaka, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, and Terengganu, for sedition, criminal threats, and damaging flags and banners belonging to political parties and candidates.

Police also arrested four men, three in Pahang and one in Sarawak, under Section 4A (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954 and Section 427 of the Penal Code, he said in a statement yesterday.

Meanwhile, Gombak district police chief, ACP Zainal Mohamed Mohamed said police detected a video clip which went viral on social media early this morning, aiming to cause public anxiety during the GE15 campaign period.

He said that the investigation found that the 30-second video clip, showing a recording at the Dewan Karisma of Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN), Pagoh, Johor, for the Johor state election, had been edited by the owner of the TikTok account @pokokremia, with the title ‘Make sure it does not happen, Gombak Beware’.

“The video clip was taken during the vote tallying process for the Johor state election, held at the Dewan Karisma of the Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN), Pagoh, Johor, on March 12 for DUN N07Bukit Kepong, Johor.

“The case is being investigated under Section 4A (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954 and Section 233 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998.

“We advise the public not to spread false information, and not to post statements or comments on social media which could threaten peace and harmony,” he said in a statement yesterday.