Cops detain corn vendor, wife over racist sign

Summary

• A corn vendor and his wife were arrested in Sepang, Selangor, after displaying a racist sign at their stall, sparking public outrage.

• The vendor was released on police bail due to his age, but his wife remains in custody due to an expired travel document.

• The incident is being investigated under the Penal Code and Sedition Act, with lawmakers calling for legal action to prevent similar occurrences.

Police have arrested a corn vendor and his wife following backlash over a racist sign they put up at their stall in Sepang, Selangor, which sparked public outrage.

The vendor, who has since issued an apology, and his wife were detained yesterday.

While the corn seller Abdul Aziz Musa has been released on police bail, his Indonesian spouse remains in custody due to an expired travel document.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the vendor is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and the Sedition Act, while his wife was summoned as a witness.

“We are wrapping the investigation and will submit the findings to the deputy public prosecutor soon,” he told Malaysiakini.

Meanwhile, Sepang district police deputy chief GK Shan Gopal said the vendor in his 60s was released on police bail due to his age.

“His wife, who is an Indonesian, in her 50s, continues to be under detention under the Immigration Act because she overstayed,” he said.

Last week, a video had gone viral on social media showing a roadside corn stall that displayed a racist notice. The incident reportedly occurred at Kota Warisan, Sepang.

The video sparked outrage and condemnation from various parties who demanded action to be taken against the corn seller, including Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh and DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng.

Akmal said an apology would not suffice for such incidents and it warranted criminal punishment.

“No matter who does it, the law must be enforced to serve as a lesson to others.

“If not, this culture of ‘act first, apologise later’ will become more prevalent and such people can easily escape!” he added.

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