POLICE have identified those who plan to create chaos during the 14th general election and are prepared to take action, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

“We have identified them and we have also identified the bloc that is going to drop a bombshell. 

“Action will follow if they decide to (carry out) this last-minute surprise attack,” Zahid, who is also home minister, said during a session with police officers at the Royal Malaysia Police Academy in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

He said police have been instructed to act against those who launch “surprise last-minute attacks” for the purpose of disrupting the general election, which is expected to be held before June, although August is the absolute constitutional deadline.

“I have instructed the inspector-general of police, Special Branch director and the Criminal Investigation Department to keep watch on them and make sure they do not do it. If action must be taken, it cannot be delayed,” he said.

He gave as an example the rumour about 40,000 phantom voters from Bangladesh, saying it was a last-minute attack launched by certain parties to get people to believe that the ruling government would resort to such tactics.

“They said 40,000 phantom voters from Bangladesh arrived in a jumbo jet. But, there was none, not at any airports. But many people almost believed it.”

He said action must be taken as he is the person entrusted by Prime Minister Najib Razak with ensuring national security, with the help of the related departments and agencies.

“This is where the people will see how much we take our work seriously, and how committed we are to carrying out our duties. It is our responsibility… to create a safe and secure environment.”

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia A.K.M. Atiqur Rahman Read told The Star daily in June 2013 that the Bangladeshi phantom voters rumour was nothing but a “fabrication by some interest groups and a sheer misrepresentation of facts”.

He said claims that 40,000 Bangladeshis had come to Malaysia a week before GE13 were absurd.

The Star had reported that opposition leaders and various individuals on social media claimed that thousands of foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, had been flown to Malaysia to vote in GE13, and the “news” spread like wildfire.

Jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has denied making claims about the Bangladeshi phantom voters, and blamed Umno bloggers for spreading the rumour. – March 20, 2018.