Police revoke debate permit between Tun M and Nazri Aziz

SHAH ALAM: In another U-turn decision, Selangor police announced that the highly anticipated debate between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is now cancelled due to a credible threat to public safety.
After being given the go ahead last week, the debate was scheduled to take place at the Karangkraf media group headquarters in Shah Alam on April 7.
However, police had on Saturday sent a letter to the group's managing director Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub stating that they were revoking the initial permit granted for the debate just the day before.
Selangor deputy police chief DCP Datuk Mohd Fuad Abdul Latif said that police had intelligence that there would be certain parties that might disrupt public peace and order not only on the day of the debate, but the days leading up to the debate.
He said that there had also been public objections in the form of police reports lodged all over the state.
"We came to this conclusion after receiving 18 police reports from not only in Shah Alam but all over Selangor, even from Hulu Selangor," he said in a press conference at the Selangor state police headquarters here today.
He added that that was the reason for the cancellation of the debate and police would investigate reports lodged by the individuals who feared for their families and own safety.
This is the second time the police have cancelled the debate between the two.
The debate was supposed to have taken place in Kuala Kangsar on March 25 but was cancelled after Perak police refused to issue a permit.
Fuad also refuted Mahathir's claims that the debate should not be cancelled as the venue, Karangkraf's headquarters, was in an industrial area and not in a residential area.
"Maybe he can come and visit the area first. There is a residential area close by and there are people (working) in the industrial area as well," he said.
Fuad added that it "is possible" for the debate to go on in the future, but public safety is always the priority.