The service centre of Bukit Bendera parliamentarian Zairil Khir Johari in Pulau Tikus, Penang, was cordoned off by police last night after a suspicious-looking travel bag was found in a nearby field.

Penang municipal councillor Chris Lee Chun Kit said he was alerted to the matter at 8 last night by Pulau Tikus assemblyperson Yap Soo Huey, who received an email from a stranger notifying her about the bag.

"I went to the area immediately and found the yellow travel bag, with rollers, on the field in front of Zairil's service centre," Lee told Malaysiakini when contacted.

"I felt it was probably nothing but thought it strange that someone would leave the bag like that. So as a precaution, I called the police," Lee added.

He said several police officers from the nearby Pulau Tikus police station came by immediately to investigate.

The police then called in the bomb squad, in case the bag contained explosives.

"The bomb squad followed its standard operating procedure carefully. After cordoning off the area, a siren was sounded and the squad members then shot the bag to see if there were explosives," Lee said.

"The squad found nothing in the bag and everything was over by 11pm. I then lodged a police report on the matter," added Lee, who is Bukit Bendera DAP Socialist Youth chief.

Zairil, who is also Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's political secretary, is currently on a working trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, and is meeting Malaysian students there.

When contacted via WhatsApp, Zairil said he was relieved that the incident turned out to be nothing.

"It was probably a hoax. I am not sure of the intent of the individual or individuals who left the bag there as it did not contain anything," said Zairil, who is also state DAP vice-chairperson.

"It may be something really innocent but I thank the police for their quick response. They came within minutes," added the party's assistant publicity secretary.

‘These are dark times’

Asked his next course of action upon returning on Thursday, Zairil ( right ) said "everyone has to be extra vigilant these days about their safety, for these are dark times".

Penang has seen several violent and threatening attacks recently, starting with two Molotov cocktails hurled into the compound of the 229-year-old Assumption Church along Farquhar Street in the wee morning hours of Jan 26.

On Feb 8, fireworks were thrown into the compound of the Bukit Tengah police station, shattering its windows and damaging the ceiling of the front porch.

A week later, a chunk of pork was found outside the entrance to the Tokun Atas mosque in Cherok Tokun, in an apparent attempt by unidentified individuals to incite religious tension in the opposition-led state.

Penang police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said his team was still investigating the incidents, and so far no suspect has been arrested.