Police today recorded statements from four university students who were detained for several hours yesterday for allegedly distributing political pamphlets in the Galas state constituency.
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the students, aged between 18 - 25 years old were taken to the district police station and released soon after.
"We are investigating if the students are from Gua Musang or outsiders," he said after a briefing at the police operations centre here.
He said they would also work with the Election Commission and the students' universities during their investigations.
The students are from a group, calling themselves Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam SeMalaysia (Gamis) and were allegedly distributing brochures urging the locals to exercise their democratic right to vote.
A spokesman yesterday said the group represented students from various universities and had come to Galas to observe the campaign process and also explain to the people certain national issues, including the 2011 budget and how it effects them.
Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the detention of the students should not be politicised as they were merely detained for not possessing a valid permit to distribute the pamphlets.
"The students were not aligned to any political party and were merely there to urge the people to come out and vote. They are acting on their own and nothing to do with their respective universities.
"However, I would like to advise these students to go home and concentrate on their studies instead," he said when contacted.
On another issue, Ismail also said the police had to date received four reports on minor incidents involving the parties contesting the by-election here.
"I urge all parties to adhere to the laws and prevent any untoward incidents," he added.
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