Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan has rubbished attempts to link his party to the thugs who attacked students protestors in Dataran Merdeka last night.

"If there is a car tyre punctured by the side of the road, that is Umno's fault. If there is a motorcyle punctured, that is also Umno's fault.

NONE “If there is a bicycle tyre punctured on a deserted road in the middle of the forest, that too is Umno's fault," sniped the deputy minister.

Ahmad accused Umno’s critics of being bankrupt of ideas.

“They blame it all on us. If a person sodomise a person Umno is blamed too. He enjoyed it, we take the blame," added Ahmad.

Pressed further on eyewitnesses claims that the attackers were indeed Umno linked thugs and of apparent police inaction against the perpetrators, Ahmad brushed the allegations aside.

"I don't know, I was asleep last night. People sleep at home, not in the middle of a field," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

'Students being used by opposition'

He was asked to comment on the attack by 70 people who overran and ransacked the protesting students' camp at Dataran Merdeka last night causing at least two injuries.

There have been allegations circulated online that the mob were the same people that terrorised a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah and anti-establishment NGO events in recent months.

Earlier today, Ahmad told reporters at another function in Pekan, Pahang that the student protestors had allowed themselves to be used as tools by the opposition, who failed to comprehend the noble intentions of PTPTN. 

“The PTPTN was set up because we want to be fair to those students who are unable to bear the cost of higher education at the universities while the opposition is only interested in being populist.

“Those who want free higher education cannot compare Malaysia with other countries which can afford to do so as their governments bear the high cost by imposing very high income tax.

“And if our government writes off the PTPTN loans amounting to RM43 billion and provides free higher education, the country will not only go bankrupt but 500 private higher learning institutions will also be forced to close,” he added, reported Bernama .