Penang DAP Youth lodged a police report against 50 Umno members who torched the party’s flag in Komtar yesterday.

 

They were protesting against the tearing down off the signage of its logo at Menara Umno at Jalan Macalister on Friday by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).

 

Umno has accused DAP which leads the Penang government, of instructing the MBPP to do the job. DAP has denied this.

 

MBPP councillors have defended the action by the council workers, saying that Umno failed to obtain approval before erecting the logo in front of Menara Umno.

 

State DAP Socialist Youth deputy secretary Satees Muniandy ( photo ) accused the protestors of having committed a “criminal threat” against DAP.

 

“They have threatened us with fire when they burnt our flag and their action is an offence under section 503 of the Penal Code,” Satees told reporters after lodging the report at the Northeast Police Headquarters on Jalan Pattani.

 

“In the Komtar incident yesterday, Umno members were also involved in open burning in a public area, which posed a danger to the public. This is an offence under Section 285 of the Penal Code."

 

Satees said the Umno members acted “aggressively” when setting the flag aflame, and  disturbed public order. This too is an offence under section 285 of the Penal Code, he noted.

 

' Arrest aggressive protesters'

Accompanying Satees at the police headquarters were Penang Island City Councillors Chris Lee and Syerleena Abdul Rashid.

 

Satees urged the police to probe and arrest the “aggressive protestors” immediately as they had committed several offences.

 

Satees also questioned if Umno members were behind a series of attempted arson and paint attacks on Wisma DAP (Penang headquarters) on Jalan Rangoon, and two other service centres on Jalan Talipon (Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng) and Jalan Kedah (Padang Kota assemblyman Chow Kon Yeow).

 

This is because the flag burning protest was led by state secretary Musa Sheikh Fadzir ( photo ) and state Umno youth chief Rafizal Abdul Rahim, Satees said.

 

“Their actions have incited” their members to act aggressively against DAP and that is why the police must probe if these Umno leaders are also behind the attacks on DAP premises during the weekend,” he added.