KUALA LUMPUR: Actress Sharifah Amani and director Dira Abu Zahar may be friends, but they have strong political views.
Recently, Amani tweeted that she was appalled by the assault of a woman in a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, and the alleged attack on Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
The attack by some Umno supporters was allegedly led by Umno Youth executive committee member and blogger Papagomo (Wan Muhammad Azril Wan Deris).
Amani said: “What is happening to our men? Punching and kicking an innocent woman repeatedly, attacking a minister in broad daylight. What are we teaching our boys?”
Dira agreed with her on the first point, but not the second.
“SS is just plain stupid. I was there. He did that on purpose to get your attention, and he did,” tweeted Dira.
Amani replied that there was no excuse for violence and no reason to mob a man just trying to get into his car.
“Provoke macam mana pun, kalau biar dia balik diam-diam this would not have happened.
“Say no to bullying, no to the gangster mentality, no to violence.”
Dira said: “Whenever election candidates are named, everything is pre-arranged to make sure untoward incidents do not happen to either side.”
Amani replied: “If that’s the case, don’t retaliate with violence, let him walk away in peace.
“As a rakyat I have the right to speak out for my country.
“Maybe all politicians sould spend less time being concerned with what people say on social media and work harder on bringing people together.”
On May 18 last year, Amani said that political differences were normal in developed countries, and Malaysians should embrace such differences and still be friends.
She cited her friendship with Puteri Umno activist Dira as “living proof” that people with political differences could work together.
Papagomo was remanded for three days from last Monday to assist in investigations into the alleged assault of Syed Saddiq in Kajang last Saturday.
In the 10.45am incident, the Muar MP alleged that he was attacked by a group of opposition supporters after the nomination process for the Semenyih by-election.
The incident happened at the Seri Cempaka Hall of the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKJ).
On Tuesday, police arrested a man believed to have assaulted and robbed a woman in a lift at the Taman Mutiara MRT station in Cheras on Feb 14.
City police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim had said that the 26-year-old man had been detained at his rented apartment unit in Taman Cheras at 8.10pm by a team of policemen from the Cheras serious crimes division.
A 57-second closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera recording of the 48-year-old woman being punched and kicked several times went viral.