'Don't be afraid, come out and vote', cops tell Teluk Intan voters

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin said he hoped that the people will fulfil their duty as a voter come Saturday.

"Don't be afraid of being disturbed as we will be there to ensure everything goes on smoothly, " Bakri told a media briefing at the Hilir Perak police headquarter here.

Since nomination day on May 19, a total of 18 reports have been lodged in connection with the by-election, he said.

Of those, five investigation papers have been opened, said Bakri.

Meanwhile, giving media more details on the cases, Hilir Perak police chief ACP Goh Kok Liang said the cases were:

- Two cases that involve obstructing of public servants on duty, including a case where vulgar words were uttered to police personnel during nomination;

- One case of criminal intimidation;

- One case involving criminal defamation where a party is unhappy being accused of arson;

- One case of causing hurt.

In the last case, BN campaigners who were going house to house on Tuesday had claimed they were assaulted by a man, who threw punches at them.

"But the man had also lodged a counter report claiming that the group had tried to steal his mangoes, " said Goh, adding that all angles are being probed.

On the claim by certain quarters that Gerakan was behind a fire which occurred at a factory at Jalan Changkat Jong on Wednesday, Goh said initial investigations found no foul play.

"The cause of the fire was a power trip. We're investigating this under defamation," he said.

On a police report by electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 against Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for allegedly breaching election laws, Goh said the case has been referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Police are also monitoring those who take part in betting for the Teluk Intan polls.

The Teluk Intan Parliamentary seat by-election will witness a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mah Siew Keong and DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

The seat fell vacant following the death of former MP from DAP, Seah Leong Peng due to cancer on May 1.

In 2013, during the 13th General Election, Seah defeated Mah and independent K. Moralingam with a majority of 7,313 votes.

The Chinese comprise the largest group of voters in at 42% (25,310), followed by the Malays (23,301) at 38% cent, and the Indians at 19% (11,648), totalling over 60,000 voters.