Ramlan suffered a fractured cheekbone and injury to an eye.
Melaka PPBM chief Mohd Redzuan Yusof said the incident occurred a day after Ramlan and enforcement officers of the Melaka Historical City Council (MBMB) argued when he was ordered to remove the party flags, banners and placards put up at the PPBM Melaka open house on July 9.
He said the argument was settled amicably after the flags, banners and placards were brought down.
“The next day, Ramlan was contacted by a staunch Umno supporter whom he knew, calling for a meeting to resolve the dispute and make up,” Redzuan told a media conference at the PPBM headquarters here today.
According to him, Ramlan went for the meeting at a restaurant where he was confronted by about a dozen people who included Umno members holding key party positions and MBMB staff.
He said Ramlan was punched several times in the face and forced to swallow the cili padi.
Ramlan was also threatened with a knife, and a person in the group even head-butted him in the face, Redzuan said.
“PPBM Youth believes the culture of thuggery is alarming in Umno. We must reform them,” PPBM Youth information chief Ulya Husamudin said at the media conference.
The argument between Ramlan and MBMB’s enforcement officers had gone viral on social media.
During the argument, PPBM Youth members questioned the officers, asking why the local authority did not order Umno to remove its flags as well.
Abusive words were exchanged but, according to Redzuan, the episode ended amicably.
“Ramlan and the enforcement officers acknowledged their mistakes and apologised to each other. Unfortunately, the verbal argument did not end there,” he said.
Redzuan said a police report was lodged at the Bukit Baru police station in Melaka Tengah on July 11, and Melaka PPBM urged the police to investigate the incident and take action against those responsible.
“PPBM does not want any political interference in this case. The authorities must carry out their duties professionally and scrupulously without pressure from any quarters,” he said.