Man held over viral rioting incident in Parit Raja

JOHOR BAHRU: Police have arrested a local man to assist investigation into a rioting incident in Parit Raja, Batu Pahat which went viral on social media yesterday.

Batu Pahat district police chief ACP Ismail Dollah said the 21-year-old man was arrested at the Parit Raja Police Station at about 8.30 pm after he was summoned to have his statement recorded on the incident.

He said police received an alert from the public at 11.04 am that a banner with the wordings 'Kerajaan Gagal' was spotted on a pedestrian bridge at Jalan Parit Raja heading to Ayer Hitam, but a visit to the location found that it had been taken down.

"Not long after that, police received a report about a video of a rally, lighting up of flares and raising of a banner that read 'Kerajaan Gagal' which did not comply with the set standard operating procedures.

"Initial investigation found that the incident occurred in Parit Raja and it is believed that the banner raised during the rally is the same banner that was spotted on the bridge," he said in a statement tonight.

The case is being investigated under Section 144/269 of the Penal Code and Section 8 of the Explosives Act 1957.

-- BERNAMA