A voter in the Kuala Berang constituency has made a police report over a press statement made by an Umno leader which alleged that PAS supporters had thrown away Umno flags put up for the upcoming by-election.

The voter, Muhammad Abdul Hadi Mohd, 23, made the report at the Hulu Terengganu police station on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Harakah Online, Muhammad stated in his report that Umno vice-president Muhammad Muhd Taib's statement had been made without proof.

The Umno leader, who is also Barisan National by-election chief, had also accused PAS supporters of carrying out provocative acts which could have resulted in shouting matches between the two political rivals.

Muhd Taib's statement was published on page 7 of the Aug 16 issue of Malay daily Berita Harian .

The police report also involved a statement from Umno Hulu Terengganu deputy head, Rosol Wahid - which was published on the same page in Berita Harian - that accused PAS supporters of throwing away Umno flags at midnight and behaving like "samsengs" (gangsters), again without giving any proof.

Violations of Election Offences Act

Muhamad Abdul Hadi had attached a newspaper clipping containing the statements by the Umno leaders to his police report.

According to him, the statements were considered a serious matter because they had been issued during the campaigning period for the Kuala Berang by-election.

As such, he alleged that those statements may have breached the Election Offences Act 1954 as the Umno leaders involved were "alter egos" of the BN candidate standing in the by-election, and had connections with and influence on the decisions made by Umno and BN collectively.

He added that, in particular, the statements may have breached Section 4A (giving rise to feelings of mischief and enmity) and Section 9 (undue and unfair influences), and can result in the disqualification of the BN candidate.

He said that if after investigations the allegations contained in the statements were found to be false, the Umno leaders who had issued them should be charged under Seksyen 499 of the Criminal Procedure Code which, upon conviction, provides for sentences of up to two years in jail or a fine, or both, under Section 500.

The Kuala Berang by-election on Aug 28 will be a straight fight between BN candidate, Mohd Zawawi Ismail, 45, and PAS candidate, Muhyiddin Abdul Rashid, 43.

The by-election was called following the death of BN assemblyman Komaruddin Abdul Rahman, 46, on July 30 from a heart attack.

Puteri's English classes

Muhammad Abdul Hadi also wants the editor-in-chief of Berita Harian to be investigated under the relevant laws in view of his involvement in the "editing, publication and distribution" of the paper containing the statements.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Puteri Umno will be holding an 'English On Wheels' programme in every voting area in Kuala Berang as its contribution to the local society.

Puteri deputy head, Noraini Ahmad, said that the wing had formed eight teams to carry out the programme to help raise the local students' standard of English.

"Our machinery is made up of volunteers who have wide experience in carrying out such programmes. They will concentrate on every voting area in the Kuala Berang constituency."

"It is a programme to expose the students to mastering English," she said to reporters after visiting Sekolah Kebangsaan Telaga ini Kuala Berang where the programme was being conducted.