KLUANG, Sept 27 — Police said the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Johor state seat of Mahkota, Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah does not have a criminal record, despite having been previously detained in connection with an assault case.

Kluang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Bahrin Mohd Noh said the assault case related to the BN candidate had been referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the case was ordered to have no further action (NFA), Harian Metro reported last night.

"Today, the police traced links on social media regarding claims that the BN candidate (for the Mahkota by-election) supposedly has a criminal record.

"Upon verification, Syed Hussien does not have a criminal record under registrable offenses in the context of the Criminal Records Registration and Undesirable Persons Act 1969 [Act 7],” he was quoted as saying yesterday.

Bahrin added that no one has been charged in that case, including the named individuals.

He advised political parties to campaign in a healthy manner and not to exploit issues of religion, royalty, and ethnicity, or to make false statements against others.

The question about the BN candidate’s alleged criminal record arose during campaigning for Mahkota earlier this week when a member of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Information Bureau, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, called for an explanation from Syed Hussien regarding the allegations of his previous police detention in 2008.

BN chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi responded to the challenge yesterday, recalling that in that incident Syed Hussien was defending a blind person.

Zahid said Syed Hussien was in his 20s, adding that no charges were filed due to a lack of evidence, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported earlier yesterday.

He added that based on the reports he had received, Syed Hussien had stepped in to protect the visually impaired individual who was being harassed by a group of people.

Free Malaysia Today also reported Syed Hussien denying claims made by Badrul Hisham, also known as Chegubard, who alleged that police documents showed Syed Hussien had been involved in a fight that left individuals injured.