Two activists from Felda settlers pressure group Felda Settlers' Children's Association (Anak) suffered injuries after their convoy was attacked by BN supporters in Negri Sembilan yesterday morning.

The incident occurred when Anak's 30-car convoy, part of the group's Save Felda Orange Convoy roadshow, was stopped from entering Felda Bukit Rokan Utara, near Tampin.

They were barred from entering the Felda settlement by 100 BN flag-wielding youths, Felda employees and police personnel.

According to Anak president and PAS central committee member Mazlan Aliman, convoy member Naraza Muda sustained head injuries while another, Razali Rashad, had a gash on his eyebrow.

He said that the men sustained the injuries during the scuffle which also saw the mob smashing the windscreen of a four-wheel-drive vehicle, which was part of the convoy.

Negri Sembilan PKR deputy secretary-general T Kumar, who was part of the convoy, said that the men were not in the vehicle when they were “hit on the head” and “beaten”.

“Most of the (mob) were young, like schoolboys, and were not Felda settlers. Our people were trying to negotiate to go in and suddenly the glass (windscreen) was broken,” Kumar said when contacted.

BN flags

An eye-witness video posted online by Facebook user al-Husna Amin showed a four-wheel-drive vehicle being stopped by a mob, before four men charged towards the vehicle. [View video here ]

The men had used flag poles to hit the vehicle's windscreen and front passenger window, before being stopped by a man wearing an orange shirt and reflective safety vest.

The video, shot from inside a vehicle located next to the four-wheel-drive, then showed a police officer approaching the vehicle to check on the people inside.

However, the officer did not apprehend the men who had attacked the car, nor was he depicted doing anything to contain the situation.

Instead, it was PAS Unit Amal members who attempted to intervene, including to stop a shouting and shoving match, and cleared the way for the four-wheel-drive to leave the area.

“The police did not react. They were informed of the convoy before hand and should have provided protection,” Kumar said.

He said that the convoy was halted after the violence broke out and a police report was then lodged at the Jempol police district headquarters in Bandar Baru Serting.

'No outsiders allowed'

Speaking to Malaysiakini before the scuffle took place, Felda Bukit Rokan Barat village chief Mohd Zamrud Johari said that the settlers and management “don't want outsiders” in the area.

“We fear that they will cause chaos. They may be just driving and walking, but we worry that there may be chaos,” he said.

Malay daily Sinar Harian , quoting an unnamed source, reported that the incident was sparked off when the four-wheel-drive vehicle “accidentally hit a resident's motorcycle”.

However, Negri Sembilan Orange Convoy programme director Abdul Rahman Ramli told Harakahdaily today that the four wheel drive vehicle had “slightly grazed a motorcycle by accident” when reversing to escape the mob attack. 

Sinar Harian reported that the situation became calm when police dispersed those who gathered at the scene.

It also quoted Tampin district police chief Mohd Isa Ujang as saying that 12 personnel were deployed to provide crowd control, including two anti-riot teams which were stationed at the Jelai junction.

Barred from entering

According to Kumar, the convoy was also blocked from entering two other settlements that morning.

“Felda Kepis at Kuala Pilah was our first stop. We were barred from entering by a group of boys who were accompanied by Felda local police.

“Then we headed to Felda Rokan Barat (near Jempol) but were stopped by hooligans carrying BN flags, Felda employees and police. We couldn't enter,” he said.

Meanwhile, Harakahdaily reported that the Anak convoy in Pahang was also stopped from entering Felda Jengka 23 by “100 Umno supporters … including women and children” who hurled foul language at them.

An eye-witness video posted on the Internet, allegedly of the Jengka 23 incident, shows a man harshly telling the convoy that they cannot perform the Asar prayers there.

The PAS mouthpiece, however, reported that the convoy was accepted at Felda Jengka 12, where they performed the Asar prayers, had tea and gave a short ceramah.

A police report was lodged at the Maran police district headquarters over the incident at Jengka 23.