Penang police chief Ayub Yaacob said a report on the investigation into the fracas at the anti-Lynas rally at the Esplanade last month is already on the attorney-general’s table.

NONE Ayub ( left ) said the police in Penang had done “whatever it was supposed to do” concerning the case, and the matter is now pending the AG’s decision.

He added that the case was at a “discussion stage” on what action to take on those alleged to have created the fracas, which left two journalists hurt.

One of the reporters, from local Chinese daily Kwong Wah Jit Poh , who was hit with a helmet during the fracas, sustained eight stitches on his finger.

“We need to see what more we can do. Hopefully we can solve the case as soon as possible. As I told you all earlier , we want to see this matter settled quickly,” he told reporters today.

NONE On how many witnesses were called in for questioning, including the 29 , whose photos were released by police in the press, Ayub offered an open-ended answer - “many were questioned”.

“All those who needed to be interviewed were called in for interview,” he said when met after he held a press conference with

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at Hotel G to present RM5,000 to the family of deceased Georgetown OCPD Ahmad Bakhtiar Kassim, who died on Monday.

“Many of them have cooperated with us, there is no problem there,” he added.

‘CM feared for his life’

On whether there were any charges, Ayub said, “That depends on the discussions”.

The fracas broke out after Lim arrived on the scene to deliver his speech, but was disrupted by a hostile group which included members of Umno Youth and Malays rights pressure group Perkasa.

The group had tried to prevent Lim’s official car from leaving the field, and the latter had lodged a police report claiming he feared for his life after the incident.

Umno Youth had denied involvement in the fracas, and has turned the tables on Lim, saying that perhaps the latter had “provoked” the hostile group into action.

Penang Umno chief Zainal Abidin Osman had said Umno Youth members were often at the Speakers Square as they have their own programmes.

Ayub had said that the organisers of the event - Suaram - did not inform the police of the event, and was therefore responsible for the safety and security of the 500-odd participants who attended the event.

Suaram responded by saying that the police should do their duty to protect citizens.

The rally was organised in support of the Himpunan Hijau 2.0 campaign against the Lynas rare earths plant, who they claimed posed potential radioactive hazards.