JOHOR BARU, Sept 5 — A total of 28 police reports related to the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state elections were lodged from the start of the campaigning period on August 26 until today, Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said.

He added that four investigation papers were opened, two related to 3R (race, religion, royalty) offences, which were being investigated by Bukit Aman’s Classified Crime Investigation Unit (USJT), and two related to vandalised flags and billboard posters, with arrests being made by the state police.

"There is no need to play up the 3R issue...show strength with your respective agendas. If you touch 3R, action will be taken, and this will jeopardise the campaign process, which isn’t good,” he said after inspecting the early voting process at the Marine Police Force (PPM) Region Two headquarters in Tampoi here today, as he advised all parties to campaign in a positive manner.

He also said he was satisfied with the early voting process for the Pulai parliamentary by-election, held at the PPM Region Two and Kempas police station, which began at 8 am today and was carried out smoothly without any untoward incidents.

The Pulai parliamentary by-election will be a three-cornered fight between Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Suhaizan Kayat, Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Zulkifli Jaafar and independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.

The by-elections are being held following the death of Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23, who held both seats prior to his passing, with polling day set for this Saturday (September 9). — Bernama