CONTROVERSIAL Umno leader Jamal Md Yunos was released today after being remanded for burning cut-outs of former minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Lawyer Mohamed Imran Tamrin said Jamal was released on police bail after spending two nights in the lock-up.

“During his time in the lock-up, Jamal complained of back pain.

“So yesterday, during the remand hearing, we asked the magistrate if we could supply Jamal with a mattress, and he agreed to it. However, the request was not entertained by police.

“We are disappointed with police’s treatment (of Jamal),” he said outside the Dang Wangi police station.

Imran said the Red Shirts leader was remanded under Section 504 of the Penal Code for provocation and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act.

Jamal reportedly burned the cut-outs shortly after lodging a police report against Zaid at the Dang Wangi station on Wednesday.

Imran said immediately after Jamal was released, he went to Ampang Puteri Hospital for a check-up.

Jamal had said Zaid, through his Twitter account, had questioned Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s criticism of Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the former prime minister’s remarks on the Bugis community.

Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said police were also investigating Jamal’s recent threat to bash in Zaid’s head with a hammer.

Zaid later expressed fears for his safety and that of his family on his Twitter account, and said he “hoped the inspector-general of police will take care of our safety”.

He had incurred the sultan’s wrath after he told the Selangor ruler to be careful with his words when criticising Dr Mahathir.

Zaid had tweeted that “no one is immune when the country burns”, in relation to an interview the sultan had given to The Star, in which he described Dr Mahathir as an angry leader whose “anger would burn the whole country”. – December 11, 2017.