MUSLIM preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin was arrested by police in Seberang Jaya, Penang, after Friday prayers today.

The PKR Youth religious bureau chief, who was recently appointed as Penang information officer, was picked up at Masjid Sembilang, where he had delivered a Friday sermon.

State PKR Youth chief Asrol Sani Abdul Razak, who witnessed the arrest, said Wan Ji had just finished delivering the sermon when he was picked up.

“There were about 20 policemen waiting for him. They didn’t say what it was about, only telling us that it was a Kuala Lumpur case,” he told The Malaysian Insight, adding that Wan Ji was taken to the Central Seberang Prai police headquarters following the arrest.

Wan Ji left the police headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, at 5.15pm, and it is understood that he is being taken to the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said lawyer Ahmad Rizal Abd Hamid was with Wan Ji at the Central Seberang Prai police headquarters, and a statement would be issued later when they had more information on the arrest.

Rizal could only confirm that Wan Ji’s arrest was related to a probe under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act.

Several PKR Youth members waited outside the Central Seberang Prai police headquarters in a show of solidarity.

PKR Youth member Fahmi Zainol, who is also a special officer at the party’s Permatang Pauh office, said in a Facebook live broadcast outside the police headquarters that it was believed Wan Ji was arrested following a report lodged at the Dang Wangi police headquarters by a social media user.

Central Seberang Prai district police chief Assistant Commissioner Nik Ros Azhan Nik Abdul Hamid confirmed that Wan Ji’s case was not handled by state police.

“It is a Bukit Aman case. I am not aware of the details.” – October 13, 2017.