“Red shirt” leader Datuk Jamal Md Yunos has been arrested for being linked to a rally expected to be held at Petaling Street tomorrow.
Jamal had earlier arrived at Ampang Jaya station at about 7.45pm with two of his lawyers and had told reporters that he believed he was called in to give his statement on a police report he had lodged earlier in the week against social media accusations against him, and not about his riot warning.
According to a statement by his secretary, Durrany Izam, Jamal was brought immediately to Dang Wangi police station after his arrest to be investigated under the Sedition Act 1948.
Kuala Lumpur Crime Investigation Department chief Datuk Zainuddin Ahmad confirmed the arrest and said Jamal was taken to the Dang Wangi police station for further investigation.
“They (the media) only published certain parts (of the statement) without taking into consideration what was said in the press conference”.
He also said that his statement was not meant to strike fear in the hearts of the public or threaten them.
Mr Jamal, who was one of the key personalities in the Sept 16 “red shirts” rally that saw racist insults hurled at ethnic Chinese, said on Wednesday that “red-shirt” protesters may return to Petaling Street this weekend and “riot” if the authorities do not crackdown on alleged sales of counterfeit products in Chinatown.
This evening he told the media outside the Ampang Jaya police headquarters that he would be attending a kenduri function tomorrow. “Even as a Malay, putting aside my position as a deputy minister and Umno member, I think he should stop”, said Mr Nur Jazlan.
But prior to his arrest, he tried to distance himself from the issue, denying that he was involved in a fresh protest, adding that he was “not going to be in Petaling Street”.
“We will attack Petaling Street every week until shoplots are allocated to Malays and Indians”, said Mohd Ali yesterday. The Kuala Lumpur police chief said he would get in touch with the US Embassy to find out more, and assured the public that the security situation in and around KL is under control.