Cops deny instigating reports against debate

Perak police chief says they would never get involved in political disputes or be partial towards any party.

PETALING JAYA: Perak police have refuted a claim that they played a role in preventing a planned debate between PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz from taking place in March.

State police chief Hasnan Hassan said the statement by “a certain party” that police were involved in directing people to lodge reports to disallow the event in Kuala Kangsar was untrue and a wild allegation.

“It is to be stressed that police will never get involved in any political dispute or side with anyone in any place in the country,” he said in a statement today.

“The Perak police are professional and will only take action in accordance with the law and regulations that are in place.

“I advise everyone not to drag or involve the police in any issues between any of the parties for their own agenda.”

On Monday, Nazri, who is MP for Padang Rengas, where the debate with former prime minister Mahathir was to be held, hit out at the police, saying they were the ones who had stopped the programme.

He said a few people who had lodged reports against the event had told him that they were instructed by the police to do so.

“I got to know there were five police reports lodged against the debate by three people. The contents on the reports were identical,” he had said.

Nazri added that those who had complained were his Umno branch leader at Padang Rengas, an Umno Youth member and a village head.

“When I asked them why they did so, they said ‘polis suruh’ (police told us to lodge reports).”

On March 21, Hasnan said the police had rejected the application for a permit to hold the public debate.

He said the organisers had submitted the application form late, adding that such an event was not allowed on school premises.

The debate was scheduled to be held in the hall of the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in Kuala Kangsar on March 25.

Hasnan said police had also received written objections, with eight reports lodged by the public and residents in the vicinity who were worried about their safety and that of their families. -FMT