Gurun assemblyman Johari Abdul said this was based on the incident that occurred initially in Sungai Petani and later followed by the incidents in Merbok and Jerai.

“They are believed to be the same individuals totalling more than 50 people and several local party leaders who were found to be creating the commotion in Sungai Petani and later at the two other places.

“I personally saw the incident when visiting the polling centre at the Jerai division at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Choong Hwa in Gurun when a group of individuals crashed into the hall and suddenly behaved violently,” he said here today.

Police have detained 14 men believed to be involved in the fracas during the PKR Merbok divisional election, which resulted in several people getting injured.

Kuala Muda District police chief Adzli Abu Shah said the men were aged between 20 and 50 and they have been detained to assist in the investigation into the case.

Following the incident late last night, the Party Election Committee (JPP) decided that the party polls in five states – Kedah, Perak, Perlis, Melaka and Johor – be postponed while the election results in Penang were accepted.

The results of six divisions in Kedah were also annulled due to several issues that cropped up at the election centres.

Johari, who is also the Sungai Petani MP and contesting for the post of vice-president, regretted the incident which he said should not have occurred and hoped that the JPP would be prepared much earlier for the new election dates.

He also suggested that a manual system be used if there were problems with the e-voting system.

“Be prepared much earlier by using a bigger and suitable hall, with adequate security personnel and have an action plan in case problems occurred with the system,” he said.