Hamidah Osman BN Convoy attacked, four injured

Ana Ghoib Syeikh Malaya 7:12 PG
IPOH – A motorcycle convoy, led by Barisan Nasional’s Sungai Rapat state seat candidate Datuk Hamidah Osman, turned chaos when some 50 opposition supporters attacked the convoy yesterday.

The incident happened at the traffic lights at Station 18 Pengkalan here.

In the 4pm incident, the convoy, participated by 300 people, clad in Barisan Nasional t-shirt, was stopped and attacked with wood and helmets.

The chaos, which lasted for 15 minutes, resulted in one of the BN supporters to fall off his motorcycle, when it was kicked.

Hamidah expressed disappointment with the actions of the opposition supporters.

She lodged a report at the Batu Gajah police station at 5.25pm.

Meanwhile, the head of security for the convoy, Ahmad Shahidan Ahmad Shukri, 43, said the convoy started its journey at Sungai Rokam and was heading towards Batu Gajah before they were stopped by the group.

They group was demonstrating by closing the convoy’s route, which resulted in a traffic standstill.

“The opposition supporters then dashed towards us and started hurling profanities.

“Some of them even threw mineral bottles at us … then, a war of word ensued,” he added.

He said the situation became more tense when the motorcycle of one of the convoy members was kicked. He injured his hand.

The convoy’s marshall tried to help, but he too was attacked.

In the ensuing incident, three of the opposition supporters were also injured.

Batu Gajah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shaharon Anuar Abd Latif, when contacted, confirmed the incident and said that investigation was underway.

By Audrey Dermawan / New Straits Times / MD