Wan Azizah's bodyguard collapses, allegedly poisoned

The bodyguard of PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was hospitalised yesterday evening after a suspected attack, allegedly involving a sharp, poisoned object.

According to an aide to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, the bodyguard collapsed at the end of a ceramah in Anwar's hometown of Cherok Tok Kun, Penang.  

 

The bodyguard, Fayyadh Afiq Albakqry, was escorting Wan Azizah through a crowd of ceramah attendees when she was leaving the venue at about 10pm, when the took place.  

Fayyadh was to accompany Wan Azizah to another ceramah in Parit Buntar, Perak but he started feeling ill and eventually collapsed midway through the journey.

 

Wan Azizah then ordered her driver to turn around and head back north to have Fayyadh admitted at the Seberang Jaya hospital.

"Initially, Fayyadh was bleeding after being injured on the hand with a sharp object. We patched him up and decided to continue to Parit Buntar. 

"But after he fell ill, we suspect he may have been poisoned during the attack," said Penang PKR Youth exco member Syed Mikael Rizal Aidid. 

Was Wan Azizah targeted?

 

News of the alleged attack spread rapidly through Twitter, with some individuals claiming that Fayyadh may have prevented an attack on Wan Azizah. 

Some tweets claim that Fayyadh's heart had stopped following the alleged attack, but PKR leaders later tweeted that the bodyguard was in stable condition and had regained consciousness. 

It was also reported on Twitter that more than 100 PKR and Pakatan Rakyat supporters have converged at the hospital to pray for Fayyadh's recovery.

Wan Azizah was among dozens of PKR leaders who are criss-crossing the country for a series of public rallies ahead of the Sodomy II trial verdict on Monday. 

As for Anwar, he was in Kuala Terengganu attending another rally when the alleged attack happened. 

Fayyadh is also the same bodyguard who was allegedly struck with a tear gas cannister while protecting Anwar during the Bersih 2.0 rally. 

He was scheduled to attend the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) hearing on alleged police abuse during the same rally on July 9.

 

Morphine overdose? 

 

According to Penang PKR Youth, the Seberang Jaya hospital has confirmed this morning that Fayyadh was the victim of a morphine injection overdose, which could be life-threatening, but is now in stable condition.

In a statement today, Penang PKR Youth said a police report has been lodged on the matter and is grateful that investigators have visited Fayyadh immediately.

"We hope the police would be able to track the perpetrator of this act and bring him to justice," read the statement. 

 

Meanwhile Central Seberang Perai district police chief Azman Abd Lah said there were two police reports on the incident where Fayyadh was injured with an unknown object, believed to contain poison.

Azman said the victim then fell sick and was later sent to hospital.

"The case is being investigated under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a weapon.

“We will investigate the case thoroughly," he told a press conference in Penang.

"We want to quash rumours that are circulating on online," he added.