Volleys of tear gas were fired into the crowd minutes after Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim took the podium in a ceramah tonight at Bukit Selambau, Kedah.

bukit selambau anwar ceramah police fru attack 240309 03 According to eyewitnesses, the police fired tear gas and unleashed chemical-laced water on about 5,000 people who had gathered in an open field opposite the PKR election operation centre for the ceramah.

The ceramah, which kicked off at 9.30pm, was to feature a number speeches by top Pakatan Rakyat leaders including Anwar.

“After a 10-minute introduction, Anwar went up on stage and in less than a minute after he started speaking, the police fired tear gas and doused the people with water,” said Saiful Izham Ramli, who is Bukit Selambau PKR election director and party’s supreme council member.

bukit selambau anwar ceramah police fru attack 240309 01 Saiful said that no warning was given by the police. The crowd began to disperse soon after but at least 19 people were arrested.

“I saw 19 people held in one truck alone,” said Saiful. He estimated there were more than 200 riot police deployed, backed by two water cannon vehicles as well as five police trucks.

Anwar ushered into operation room

Soon after pandemonium erupted as a result of the tear gas, Anwar was quickly ushered into the PKR operation room where aides sealed the door.

bukit selambau anwar ceramah police fru attack 240309 08 Saiful said that the police tried to “break down the door” but decided not to proceed. Anwar later emerged from the office at about 11pm apparently unscathed.

“The police shot 20 or 30 rounds of tear gas,” lamented Saiful, adding that the police continued to chase remants of the crowd into the Sungai Petani's Taman Ria Jaya neighbourhood for more than an hour later.

He said that those arrested were brought to the police headquarters in Kuala Muda. According to party members, more than 50 could have been detained.

bukit selambau state seat kedah 110209 Among those held are Kedah senator Zamri Yusuf from PKR and aides to Pakatan leaders, including those working for Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, PKR's Bukit Selambau candidate S Manikumar and Anwar.

Kuala Muda OCPD ACP Hashim Ali said police had no choice but to act tough against the crowd.

"We cannot allow them to assemble unlawfully due to the security factor and

moreover the ceramah did not have a police permit," he told Bernama .

According to the police, the crowd had repeatedly defied orders to disperse.

Tensions are high in Bukit Selambau, a state constituency where a crucial by-election will be held on April 7.

PKR is fielding greenhorn Manikumar against Kedah MIC deputy chairman S Ganesan in the contest.

Two other by-elections will also be held on the same day - in the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and Batang Ai state seat in Sarawak.

The opposition Pakatan Rakyat has today named ousted Perak menteri besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin as the PAS candidate for Bukit Gantang while Jawah Gerang is the PKR candidate for Batang Ai.