Pressmen attacked at BN ceramah

KANGAR: Four men were detained for allegedly punching a 

Berita Harian reporter and stringer at a ceramah by Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

State police Criminal Investigations Department chief Superintendent Mat Nasir Hussein said the four men were arrested separately. They were aged between 27 and 53. 

The reporters were covering the ceramah at the Barisan Nasional operations room in a shoplot in Beseri, Padang Besar.

Stringer Rashidi Karim, 41, said one of the assailants had asked him to step outside while Shahidan was giving his speech.

"I refused because I wanted to hear the speech. But he persisted and pulled my shirt and tore it," said Rashidi, adding that the man dragged him out to the road in front of the shoplots. 

That was when a few others surrounded Rashidi and punched him repeatedly. One man kicked him on the chest and he fell on the road. 

He suffered a bruised lip, a cut on the left elbow, and a numb right arm from the impact of falling to the ground. 

BH state representative Adhai Ghazali, 30, who went to Rashidi's aid was punched on the head.

Both received outpatient treatment at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital. 

They lodged a report at the Beseri police station.

--NST