Friday 29 Mar 2024
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(June 5): Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar today denied any political influence in his decision to halt a forum on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak this morning, saying there was a serious security threat.

In a press conference called to explain the abrupt ban on the event, Khalid said he made the decision after receiving information of a possible security breach.

"No such thing," he told reporters when asked if he had been asked to cancel the forum by Najib.

"It was my decision to call off the event. Yes, I gave the order," he said at the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

"The threat (to security) was serious enough that I had to put a stop to the event."

Khalid, through his Twitter account, earlier today issued a directive that the dialogue titled "Nothing To Hide" be called off on the grounds of public order and national harmony.

The forum would have seen Najib take questions from the public on the troubled government-owned firm this morning.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had arrived at 9am, an hour before the event was due to start, was also stopped from speaking at the forum by the police ten minutes into his speech, causing an uproar among those present.

Najib, who was scheduled to be present at the forum at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), did not turn up. The PWTC building also houses the headquarters of ruling party Umno, of which Najib is president.

Khalid also said he knew Najib was unhappy with the decision to cancel the event but understood that it was for security reasons.

He said police received information that two opposing groups were planning to create chaos at the forum.

This information was received at only the eleventh hour.

"After looking through the information, we found it to be credible. There were signs that the security and public order at the venue were being threatened.

"And the organisers did not seem like they could control the situation in the hall, which was why I made that decision to cancel the programme," he said, citing Section 103 of the Criminal Procedure Code used to make the decision.

Khalid kept mum, however, when asked who the groups were and what kind of threats they had made.

But he confirmed that one arrest was made when a man tried to force his way into the hall.

"I don't have to explain who the groups are but it is enough that I received credible information about them," he said.

He said the organiser, legal group SukaGuam, had engaged the police from the beginning for the event, and that police had not anticipated a threat until this morning.

"Which is better? Preventing a threat from taking place or acting after something happens?" he said.

The IGP also said the directive to stop Dr Mahathir from speaking at the forum also came from him.

"When I say cancel the event, I mean that everything should stop, including speeches from other people. Otherwise, it would seem as if I only stopped Najib from speaking," he said. – The Malaysian Insider

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