Cops to probe Ratu Naga for ‘obstructing public servant’ over video of DBKL officers assaulting balloon vendor
Police have summoned popular social media personality Ratu Naga over a video uploaded by her showing several enforcement officers roughing up a balloon vendor, which sparked nationwide outrage just before the Hari Raya celebration late last month.
However, Ratu Naga, whose real name is Syarul Ema Abu Samah, was surprised to learn from a police officer that she was being investigated under Section 186 of the Penal Code, for the offence of obstructing a public servant in discharging their duties.
The police claimed that Ratu Naga had recorded the video of the incident that took place at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman last month.
On the night of March 28, balloon seller Muhammad Zaimuddin Azlan was assaulted by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) enforcement personnel in the middle of crowds of Hari Raya shoppers, sparking public outrage, with many on social media drawing parallel to an incident in Tunisia more than a decade ago, when fruit vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after his stall was confiscated by authorities, an act that became the catalyst for the Tunisian revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
The outpouring of public sympathy also saw the Pahang royal household represented by Tengku Muhammad Iskandar, the second son of Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, visiting Zaimuddin as he was treated for his injuries at the hospital.
On April 6, Zaimuddin lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters, saying he would have to wear a brace for three months because of the assault.
At a press conference called by his lawyer, a private doctor warned that the 28-year-old was at risk of becoming paralysed due to bone fractures suffered as a result of the beating.
Zaimuddin also fought back accusations against him as well as claims that he has a criminal background, which were spread on social media by pro-government cybertroopers.
Ratu Naga told MalaysiaNow that she has been asked to appear at the Dang Wangi police headquarters tomorrow at 10am.
The latest investigation against her comes less than two weeks after she was arrested for sedition over a video showing a group of students singing the Perak state anthem.
This was despite Ratu, who is known for her slapstick comments about Anwar Ibrahim and other government leaders, quickly removed the video and apologised if the clip gave the impression that the students were singing the national anthem in Chinese when in fact they were singing the Perak state anthem.
Her arrest was condemned by rights lawyer Zaid Malek, who said it was an example of Anwar’s government resorting to “artificial controversy” to justify action against its critics.
