BUTTERWORTH: Penang police vowed to take stern action against troublemakers, especially triad groups during the whole Permatang Pauh by-election period.
State police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said his men would not compromise with anyone found threatening public safety or causing disharmony.
“To the troublemakers, we have our eyes on you. You have been warned,” he told reporters yesterday.
Rahim said this after inspecting the Permatang Pauh by-election polling centres in the constituency here.
Abdul Rahim also warned five identified secret societies, such as gang 20, 24 and “pheh” as well as several gangs of Malay and Indian thugs, such as gang 04,08 and “jumping tiger”, who were active in the Central Seberang Perai district against disrupting peace.
He said 30 beat bases, manned by some 260 policemen, would be set up.
Each base would on 24 hour duty.
“At any one time eight policemen will be stationed at the beat bases throughout the whole duration of the by-election, starting from Thursday to April 7.
“We will focus on 16 spots that have been identified as hotspots, with nine of those identified as flash points for racial tension,” he added.
Abdul Rahim also said party supporters from the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat coalition would be placed 300 meters apart during nomination day at the IKBN in Bukit Mertajam.
The latest number of total registered voters in the constituency, who will be voting at 25 polling stations in 28 districts, stands at 71,890.
Nomination day for the by-election is April 25, early polls on May 3 and polling day is on May 7.
The Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat was declared vacant after incumbent Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for sodomy.