Arrest and Investigation

A 30-year-old cook has been arrested in connection with a crowd surge that left several spectators injured during the National Day celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya on Monday (Aug 31). The man was detained in Putrajaya on Tuesday afternoon after five police reports were lodged against him, according to Malay Mail and The Star.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus confirmed the arrest, stating that the suspect is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955. The Star quoted him as saying: "Yes, we have arrested the man in the orange shirt for further investigation under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955."

The Incident

The alleged incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, around 5am, as crowds gathered at the seating entrance of Dataran Putrajaya to secure spots for the National Day parade. According to the police chief and media reports, the suspect allegedly provoked members of the public waiting for the seating area gates to open, causing people to surge toward the front.

A two-minute-and-18-second video that went viral on Facebook appears to show a man wearing an orange or brown shirt aggressively agitating the crowd and pushing through the crowd, triggering a commotion that led to several people falling. Both Malay Mail and The Star reported that the surging caused a crush near the perimeter barriers, and several spectators were injured after being knocked to the ground.

Appeal for Information

Fadil urged members of the public with information or video footage of the incident to step forward to assist investigators. He requested those involved to report to the Putrajaya district police headquarters, as reported by both outlets.

Legal Proceedings

Police are expected to seek a remand order for the suspect on Wednesday to facilitate further investigations, according to reports from both Malay Mail and The Star.