The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has strongly denied that its officers practised racism during raids on illegal traders.

MBPP secretary Yew Tung Siang said council officers were professionally trained and were merely carrying out instructions to weed out illegal businesses.

Yew said traders, regardless of race or religion, would have to face the law if they operated without business licences.

“No such thing as racism. We take action regardless of race. Anyone who breaks the law has to face the music,” he told Malaysiakini today.

Yew said MBPP would be providing statistics, which will prove that action taken on illegal traders had nothing to do with racial discrimination.

He was responding to an incident last night when two traders drove off with an MBPP lorry during a raid in Tanjong Tokong.

In the 8.50pm incident, trader Mohammad Haziq Ammar Mohd Hussain drove off with the lorry towards the Pulau Tikus police station to lodge a report against the MBPP.

In a video clip that has gone viral in social media, Mohammad Haziq, 27, and another individual were heard spewing expletives at the MBPP officers.

The duo condemned the officers as being racists, using words such as “p*****k apa hangpa (kamu) nak gagau. Lori hangpa kena gagau, lori MBPP”.

The officers were slammed for disturbing Malay businesses by seizing their chairs and tables.

“P ***** k punya Guan Eng, kedai Cina, p**** kau tak halau, kedai Melayu kau nak halau,” said one of the men who drove away with the lorry.

He added: “Rekod live, aku curi lori MBPP. Untuk satu tempat hangpa curi RM10,000 peniaga Melayu, hang ingat (kami) bodoh”.

An MBPP officer tailed the lorry with his motorcycle, urging the pair unsuccessfully to stop the vehicle.

At the police station, Haziq said he “stole” the lorry to resolve the problem amicably, in order to protect Malay traders and the dignity of Muslims.

He said the traders had tried to obtain licences but the council refused to approve them by giving all kinds of reasons.

Meanwhile, in a statement today, Yew said his officers had been carrying out a raid on illegal traders when their vehicle was stolen.

“Our officers were unable to stop the two individuals in time because they locked themselves inside the lorry.

“We have lodged a police report in Tanjong Tokong about the stolen lorry so that further action will be taken by the authorities”.

“The action of the duo have interrupted the work of public officials and we leave it to the authorities to investigate the matter,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, George Town police are probing the case under Section 353 of the Penal Code for "using force to instill fear in a public officer on duty".

Northeast police chief Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the incident happened at an eatery in front of the Bagan Jermal fire station.

He said the duo, aged 34 and 28, were arrested for hijacking the lorry and had been remanded for three days to assist the probe.

He added that the raid on the illegal traders involved 20 MBPP officers from the council's licensing department.

In his statement today, Mior said the case has been "resolved".