Hooligan Umno supporters throw stones at Anwar's car

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's visit to the Sembrong parliamentary seat in Johor yesterday received a hostile reception from suspected Umno supporters, said PKR.

According to its secretary general Saifuddin Nasution, the demonstrators threw stones, wood and firecrackers and kicked at his Mercedes, resulting in a cracked windscreen and a dented door.

They also shouted vulgarity and hurled verbal abuse at the one-time deputy prime minister, who spoke at the local PKR office at Jalan Mersing at about 11.30pm.

Saifuddin said a local PKR leader sustained minor injuries but Anwar was unhurt in the incident which occurred on the watch of "at least 20 uniformed police officers".

"They were throwing firecrackers above the heads of the police," he told reporters at the party's national headquarters in Tropicana, Selangor, today.

He said that the "paid thugs" were about 15-18 years of age and were later identified by locals as "Umno's people".

"A police report was lodged by local PKR leaders at the Kluang police station about 3am today," he said, adding that PKR had obtained a police permit for the event.

According to Saifuddin, the disruption had begun even before Anwar's arrival, with "50 to 80 people on motorcycles blaring their horns and revving their bikes".

"It was continuous. From before Anwar arrived and throughout his speech," he said, adding that Anwar had travelled back to Kuala Lumpur in his bodyguard's car for safety purposes.

"Did police allow such an incident to take place simply to protect Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's political future in his constituency of Sembrong? If not, why didn't they stop it, or why (was there) no arrest?" he asked.

Explain, Umno leaders told

Saifuddin urged Hishammuddin, who is also Umno vice-president, and Johor MB and BN chief Abdul Ghani Othman to explain the occurrence of an incident "which (is not fitting in) Malaysian culture".

Sembrong is the parliamentary seat held by Hishammuddin (right) , the son of former premier Hussein Onn and cousin of current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

In recent weeks, Anwar has been making forays into traditionally BN strongholds in the rural heartland ahead of a general election.

Last Monday, Anwar’s visit to Felda Ghafar Baba, Machap in Alor Gajah was marred by rowdy Umno supporters out to disrupt his ceramah.

On Friday, a roadblock was erected in Najib's hometown in Pekan, resulting in Anwar having to ride a motorbike to beat the 5km-long traffic jam in order to get to the ceramah venue.

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