Umno does not sanction the actions of Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos, said the party's acting deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He was referring to Jamal’s stunt in front of the Selangor State Secretariat building yesterday, in which he smashed cartons of beer to protest against the organising of beer festivals in the state.

"We do not sanction his doing.

"He is just one of our 191 division chiefs. The other 190 division chiefs did not smash anything," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

Along with 20 supporters, Jamal had initially wanted to deliver the boxes to Menteri Besar Azmin Ali's office, but was stopped by security at the gate, as reported by the New Straits Times.

Jamal and seven others were nabbed by the police late last night as a result of the stunt. 

The police are probing him under Section 143 of the Penal Code for unlawful assembly, to be read together with Section 268 for public nuisance.

If found guilty, Jamal could face up to six months’ jail, or a fine, or both.

He was also under investigation last month for another stunt involving a sledgehammer, where he broke two tables in “symbolic” protest against the state government’s alleged inaction over illegal gambling centres.

At the press conference, Ahmad Zahid declined to comment on the controversy surrounding the organisation of beer festivals. 

Bernama had previously quoted the home minister as saying that he had directed police to cancel the Better Beer Festival, which was scheduled to be held this month. 

Police later disapproved of that festival, saying that they had received information of militants planning to commit acts of sabotage at the venue.

 

Read our KiniGuide: The ‘froth’ over beer festivals