Cops to question PKR rep over 'flashing gun' claim by party rival

Summary

• Police set to question Hulu Kinta assemblyperson Arafat Varisai Mahamad for alleged criminal intimidation after claims he brandished a pistol at party members during voting for the Tambun PKR polls.

• Perak police chief says Arafat might be busy with the Ayer Kuning by-election campaign, but hopes questioning can be done this week.

Police are expected to record a PKR lawmaker’s statement this week over purportedly brandishing a pistol at several people during voting for the Tambun PKR division yesterday.

Perak police chief Noor Hisam Nordin said that Hulu Kinta assemblyperson Arafat Varisai Mahamad was summoned for questioning over alleged criminal intimidation but has not shown up.

Police are aware that Arafat might be tied up with campaigning duties for the Ayer Kuning by-election, he added.

“We’ve summoned YB (Arafat), but he hasn’t come to the station yet. We understand he’s busy with the campaign in Ayer Kuning.

“We didn’t give him a fixed deadline, but we do hope he will come in sometime this week so we can calm the situation or wrap up the investigation.

“We don’t want this matter to become an issue during the campaign,” Noor Hisam was quoted as saying by Berita Harian after officiating a rank conferment and handover of duties ceremony for the Tapah and Sungai Siput district police chiefs, held at the Perak police senior officers’ mess today.

Arafat previously denied the allegation made by a Tambun PKR member, A Kalaimugilan, who was contesting for the division’s deputy chief position as Shamsul Kamar Ani’s running mate.

The two-time assemblyperson also claimed that such accusations often surface during party elections to smear his reputation for the political gain of his rivals.

Official results later showed that Arafat, who was the incumbent Tambun PKR chief, lost to Shamsul, and Arafat’s running-mate, Norhayati Sani, lost to Kalaimugilan.

Witnesses questioned

Commenting further, Noor Hisam said all individuals seen in the viral video - which allegedly showed the assemblyperson pointing a pistol - have been summoned as witnesses.

“All of them were called in as witnesses. We’ve already recorded statements from eight of them, and we expect to call in more,” he added.

Yesterday, the Perak police chief reportedly confirmed that eight witnesses were questioned to assist in investigations under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation.

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