By NNN-Bernama
Besut, Malaysia : An opposition party supporter punched the driver of a tour bus carrying 38 matriculation students of Kolej Mara Banting in Selangor after claiming he was ferrying phantom voters here Saturday.
The driver, Ramli Jamlus, 51, parked the bus at about 6am to perform Subuh prayer at a mosque near Kampung Tok Has, not far from the Royal Malaysian Airforce’s Bukit Puteri base.
As he got out, a group of men emerged from a party operations centre nearby and started questioning him. Dissatisfied with his answer, one of the men punched Ramli on the face.
Immediately, Ramli ran back into the bus and went to make a police report.
Besut OCPD Supt Razali Basri confirmed receiving a report of the incident. He said the driver received outpatient treatment while the students were still at the Besut District Police Headquarters in Kampung Raja.
He said the political party supporters thought the bus driver was ferrying phantom voters.
“Actually, the bus was carrying matriculation students from Banting for a researh programme in Pulau Perhentian and Kuala Terengganu. They are Mara preparatory students who will further their studies in medicine and engineering abroad,” Razali said.
The college made bookings for the students at the two places about a month ago, he said.
“At this point of time, we won’t allow the bus to proceed to its destination for the safety of the driver and students,” he said.
On Friday, over 300 opposition supporters detained nine buses carrying higher learning institute students from Kuala Lumpur and north of the Malaysian peninsular in Kuala Terengganu, claiming that they ferry phantom voters.