SHAH ALAM: Three youths, aged between 17 and 19, were placed under a remand order by the magistrate’s court here to facilitate a probe into yesterday's riot at Nothing To Hide 2.0 forum at Section 7.
Magistrate Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin granted four days’ remand against the trio, two of whom are college students, upon hearing an application by Shah Alam police this morning.
Shah Alam police chief Assistant Commissioner Shafien Mamat said they are investigating the incident under Section 15(2)(d) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Section 153 of the Penal Code (giving provocation with intent to cause riot).
He said police have also opened investigation under Section 6 of the Explosives Act 1957 for causing explosion likely to endanger life or property.
It is learnt that two suspects, aged 18 and 19, are students of private colleges in Section 16, here and Kuchai Lama in Kuala Lumpur, while the 17-year-old who hails from Kangar, Perlis works as a car wash assistant.
Sources said all of them were tested negative for drugs abuse.
Police also found that the 18-year-old has a pending rape case in court. He is currently out on bail pending trial for a case in Gombak early this year.
Meanwhile, sources close to investigation said the suspects told police that they were called to attend the 3pm event and given RM50 each.
"Two of the suspects claimed that they were called to meet up in Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur where a group of them were then given T-shirts and RM50 each, before going for the event," said a source.
However, the source added, police have yet to ascertain the identity of the person who invited them, and whether the trio were responsible for causing the riot yesterday.
"Investigators have acquired CCTV recordings and video footages of the incident yesterday. So far, it has yet to be confirmed that the suspects in custody were involved in causing the riot.
"Police would also call the organiser's security personnel to get more information on how they came to arrest the suspects.
"Police are working to identify more suspects to facilitate investigations."
The incident at Dewan Raja Muda Musa yesterday saw several people injured when a riot erupted during the supposedly 'no holds barred' talk programme featuring Pakatan Harapan pro-tem chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The 5.30pm incident saw items including shoes, chairs and water bottles turned into projectiles inside the hall, while at least two flares were also thrown by unidentified hooligans.