The youngsters were seen shouting and making intimidating gestures while attempting to stop DAP’s Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong and the party’s state assistant publicity secretary Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali from going into a certain part of the bazaar.
Sheikh Umar said the activity to give away dates and interact with other visitors at the open-air market went ahead smoothly later with the cooperation of the secretariat managing the stalls that sold food and confectionery.
“However, we deeply regret what happened when we got to the section where clothes were sold. We were cursed, manhandled and chased away by a group of youths,” he said.
“We were made to understand that there are different secretariats overseeing two separate sections of the market,” he added in a brief statement.
He claimed that one of the youngsters had tried to block them from entering a bazaar in Kluang town before in 2014.
Sheikh Omar, who also said he was shoved roughly, was seen trying to calm the situation during the incident which saw threats to break the cameras of visitors who were recording what was happening.
“The month of Ramadan should not be marred by hatred, violence and abusive and foul utterances,” he said.
Liew, Sheikh Omar and Kluang PPBM head Radzali Mohd Noor who was also present later lodged separate police reports at the Kluang police station at 10pm.
In his report, Liew claimed that two of the men in the group were known as Mustakim and Ali Itik.
He said they placed three tables to block the Pakatan members from entering the bazaar section where non-food items were being sold, leading to an altercation.
“They hurled insults at us with coarse language and in loud voices,” he said.
“Ali Itik was aggressive and swung his arm at a Kluang community centre official named Wong Chia such that it hit my face and caused my spectacles to be flung onto the road,” he added.