SUNGAI BESAR: A day of calm at the Sungai Besar by-election was marred slightly this evening by a series of loud explosions from firecrackers set off in front of the Umno office here.
Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos let off the firecrackers in a premature victory celebration, in anticipation of a victory for Barisan Nasional’s candidate, Budiman Mohd Zohdi, in the parliamentary by-election.
Jamal had also declared BN’s victory in a few chat group messages from as early as 5.30pm, merely a half hour after polling ended.
About 10 crates of fireworks had been placed in front of the Umno division office, and Jamal and his crew lit up the first round at about 6.20pm, attracting the attention of people nearby.
Some 20 minutes later a police car arrived at the office with an officer angrily reprimanding the BN leader for causing a disturbance.
“I don’t care if he is Datuk, the law is the law,” the unidentified police officer told the people around the area.
The whole incident was caught on video by reporters at the scene.
The police took a crate of spent firework and some unlit crates with them. An Umno member was also asked to give statement.