FRU disperses crowd in skirmish with dubious bus passengers
While polling began this morning in Anak Bukit and Pendang, Kedah, action had already started elsewhere in the wee hours when Federal Reserve Unit personnel dispersed some 50 people at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Setar, Kedah.
The people were allegedly trying to stop around 15 buses bearing Melaka and Perak licence plate numbers, from heading to Anak Bukit.
When the buses were seen parked outside the stadium at 4am, a curious crowd started to form there. The mostly Malay youth, all clearly identifiable as Barisan Nasional and PAS supporters, arrived on motorcycles and in cars.
Suspicious of the passengers in the buses, PAS supporters then tried to prevent them from leaving while BN supporters were trying to thwart their actions in turn.
Half an hour later, three Light Force Unit trucks with about 20 police personnel came to control crowd.
When more supporters from both parties came, the police instructed the crowd to disperse.
At 5.30am, several vans bearing the Umno logo ferried the bus passengers away and everything was back to normal.
It is uncertain where the vans went although they were seen on Jalan Stadium heading in the direction of Anak Bukit.
When contacted, PAS coordinator at Anak Bukit Mohd Nasir Mustapha said he was aware of the incident and was waiting for more details.
Meanwhile, PAS central committee member Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli confirmed that no such incident happened in Pendang.
Straight fight
Both Anak Bukit and Pendang voters are casting their ballot today after eight days of intense campaigning for the by-elections.
Umno and PAS are pitted against each other in a contest which are equally significant to both parties.
Both constituencies were BN's until PAS wrested them away in the 1999 general election.
The PAS candidates are Dr Mohd Hayati Othman, 45, in Pendang, and engineer Amiruddin Hamzah, 40, in Anak Bukit.
BN is represented by veteran Umno leader Othman Abdul, 51, in Pendang, and former teacher Zakaria Said, 58, in Anak Bukit.
The by-elections were called for following the death of PAS president and Opposition Leader Fadzil Noor last month.
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