RED Shirts leader Jamal Md Yunos was “barbaric and rude” when he smashed beer bottles outside the Selangor state secretariat building yesterday, Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said.

“His actions are barbaric and rude. 

“Even though Pakatan Harapan supports demonstrations (as it) is the people’s right to assemble peacefully, that doesn’t mean we can accept any individual or group that uses thuggish measures to destroy public property,” Azmin told reporters in Sabak Bernam today.

Jamal yesterday used a sledgehammer to smash crates of beer bottles to protest against the Selangor government for allowing beer festivals.

The issue arose after Kuala Lumpur City Hall banned the Better Beer Festival that was to have been held at the Publika mall, although police later said the ban was based on intelligence about a possible militant strike.

With pubs and shopping malls regularly organising beer festivals in October in conjunction with Oktoberfest, Azmin had said such events were allowed provided local council rules and regulations were followed.

The Sungai Besar Umno division leader and seven others were arrested in the early this morning and were remanded for three days from today.

They are being investigated under the Penal Code for attending an illegal gathering and disrupting public order.

Azmin said previous events that involved beer had been held smoothly in the state and that rules were very strict.

“The rules are strict whereby you are not supposed to involve Muslims and this has been adhered to (in the previous years by organisers) and I have seen these kind of events going well in the previous years.

“So, for this year, as in previous years, the local councils will only give their approvals if the organisers fulfil the rules,” he said.

On his action against Utusan Malaysia over its its front-page report “Azmin benar pesta arak” (Azmin allows beer festival), Azmin said he had received a response from the Malay daily and would discuss further action with his lawyers first.

“I was informed by my legal counsel that they have received a response from Utusan Malaysia. I will meet my legal counsel on Monday and we will see from there,” he said.

Azmin was at the Hala Cara Baru Hall today in Kampung Sungai Panjang, Sabak Bernam, to hand out 5A notice forms as part of the state’s Inisiatif Peduli Rakyat.

The 5A notice forms will allow the villagers of Kampung Sungai Panjang and Hala Cara Baru to own land to build a house by just paying RM1,000 for 1,000 square metres of land.

“They will be given the land titles on the condition that the land must be well maintained and not be sold.”  – October 6, 2017.