By Lee Keng Fatt and Melissa Darlyne Chow

Coffeeshop owner Teoh Bak Seng pouring petrol on himself as onlookers watch in shock during the protest by traders at Komtar yesterday.

GEORGE TOWN: A coffeeshop owner, incensed with the move to close five emergency exits at the second floor of Komtar for Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's personal safety, yesterday attempted to set himself ablaze after dousing petrol on his body.

The shocking incident unfolded at 3.10pm before several members of the public who had gathered in front of Maybank, Komtar to watch a protest by traders.

Teoh Bak Seng, 53, together with several other traders, had gathered in front of the bank to protest against the Komtar building management's decision to seal off the exits.

They lamented how the decision had affected their livelihood as people found it difficult to access their shops.

Teoh, who owns Seng Mugs Coffee located on the second floor, said the closure of the five exits had caused him RM100 (S$42.87) to RM200 in daily losses.

"I just want to do business peacefully. Now see what has happened. My business has been affected.

"This is Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak, not Kompleks Lim Kit Siang," said Teoh, who has been operating his coffeeshop at the tower for many years.

Teoh also showed reporters a memorandum, signed by 48 traders, which was to be handed over to Lim. The memorandum demanded that the five exits be reopened.

After speaking to reporters, Teoh, who looked despondent, was asked by a policeman to pack up and leave, but he refused to budge.

The bespectacled Teoh, with a bag slung over his shoulder, then laid down the manila cardboard posters he had brought along with him on the ground. The posters, among others, stated "Kerajaan Pulau Pinang kejam" (the Penang government is cruel).

Out of the blue, Teoh whipped out a one-litre lubricant container he had kept in his bag and poured its contents over his head, shocking all those present.

Plainclothes policemen, seeing Teoh's action, reacted quickly by subduing him before he could set himself on fire.

Teoh was then handcuffed and carried away by some 10 policemen to a beat base at the fourth floor of the building.

Teoh, who has a heart problem, passed out inside the base.

About 40 minutes later, several medical officers arrived at the beat base and stretchered Teoh off into an ambulance before he was taken to Penang Hospital.

Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Gan Kong Meng said the case had been classified as attempted suicide.

He said Teoh was not under arrest and was being treated at the hospital.

Gan urged all quarters, including the state government, to remain calm and resolve the issue in a constructive manner.

It was reported that the roller shutters and doors connecting the multi-storey car park on the second floor had been shut since last week following an incident in which an elderly man confronted Lim over issues affecting Malays in the state.

-New Straits Times