Police have urged the public to stay clear of any Umno Youth gathering outside a hardware store in Kepala Batas, Penang, related to the upside-down Jalur Gemilang issue.
Penang police chief Azizee Ismail said this was to ensure public peace and the safety of the local community.
“We urge all parties to wait for the decision of the deputy public prosecutor’s office (on the case) and not to commit any action that can raise tensions.
“Police will take stern action against any party that breaches the law or commits a breach in peace according to the relevant laws,” he said in a statement.
Azizee said 38 police reports had been lodged across the country over the incident, and the investigation paper was submitted to prosecutors on Aug 11.
DAP had sponsored a giant Jalur Gemilang for the hardware shop after the owner was accused of hoisting the national flag upside down.
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh had said that he and other leaders would turn up outside the hardware store tomorrow to see if DAP had hung its promised flag correctly.
Bersatu Youth has also said it would join its Umno counterpart tomorrow.
Akmal previously threatened to protest at the shop if the owner was not charged by Thursday, saying he would personally “teach this ‘Ah Pek’ (uncle) how to put up a flag properly”.
Civil society group Projek Sama subsequently urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene and rein in Akmal, to stop the Umno man’s “witch-hunt”, especially if the shop owner was not charged over the issue.
Terengganu Umno Youth also apologised for an error in a graphic of the Jalur Gemilang posted on the wing’s social media account, saying it was an unintentional mistake by the graphic designer.
Akmal, however, urged the police to act, even though the person involved was from his own party.
