GEORGE TOWN: It’s D-day and the “results” of the 14th general election have just been announced at Dewan Sri Pinang here.
A party has won Penang by a razor-thin majority, upsetting the opposing camp.
Chants of “Reformasi” are heard as they charged towards the Light Strike Force officers, who are in combat gear and carrying riot shields.
The policemen hold a banner which reads: “Disperse immediately or else we will disperse you with force.”
But the protesters kept hurling bottles of water at the officers and taunt the policemen using loudhailers, saying “tembak kami lah” (shoot us).
Tear gas is fired after calls to disperse go unheeded by the rowdy crowd. The tear gas works for a while but the protesters come back with a vengeance.
A curious crowd of bystanders watched this “drama” unfold, some in trepidation.
Some only realised much later that it was a just a police drill to prepare for the 14th general election, which must be called by August.
The police force also held a similar exercise at SMK Bandar Mutiara, Simpang Ampat, on the mainland today, but the “plot” there involved “phantom voters”.
Penang police chief Commissioner A Thaiveegan told reporters at least 300 policemen took part in the exercise today to ensure they would be fully prepared for the general election.
He said 5,500 policemen would be put on standby during the campaign period and on polling day.