Nazri-Tun M debate CANCELLED
SHAH ALAM: Police have revoked the permit for the much-awaited debate between Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad scheduled for April 7.
Selangor deputy police chief DCP Datuk Mohd Fuad Abdul Latif said police intelligence indicates certain quarters may disrupt peace and public order, not only on the day of the debate but in the days leading up to it.
“We have to cancel the debate after receiving 18 police reports from Shah Alam and the rest of Selangor, including
Hulu Selangor,” he told a press conference at the state police headquarters here yesterday.
He said the organiser had applied for a permit under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act but the Shah Alam police chief rejected the application over public safety concerns, adding that individuals have claimed they fear for their safety and that of their family members.
This is the second time the debate has been cancelled, as Perak police had refused to issue a permit when it was first scheduled to be held in Kuala Kangsar on March 25.
The debate between Nazri and Mahathir was to be, among other things, on the 1MDB issue, the Bumiputera Malaysia Finance (BMF) scandal in the 1980s and Bank Negara Malaysia’s foreign exchange losses.
Mohd Fuad also refuted Mahathir’s claims that the debate should not be cancelled as the venue, Karangkraf’s headquarters here, is in an industrial area and not a residential area.
“Maybe he (Mahathir) should come and visit the area. There is a residential area close by and there are people (working) in the industrial area,” he said, adding there is a possibility for the debate to go on in future, but public safety must be given top priority.
Meanwhile, debate organiser Kumpulan Media Karangkraf said it was clueless why a permit was required for it.
Its managing director Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub said the group had organised 45 similar debates and none had required approval from the authorities.
“There was never a need to apply for a permit. We just had to inform the police.
“But this time, they insisted that we apply for one. I’m not even sure why.
“We have organised 45 such debates. There was even one involving then Bersih 2.0 chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan and the Election Commission, where thousands came to watch.
“Even for that, we only informed the authorities,” he told theSun yesterday.
Hussamuddin added that he was puzzled why after issuing a permit on March 31 for the debate, police decided to revoke it the day after.