Was IGP just firing blanks?

PKR accuses Khalid of backpedalling on his line-of-fire offer to Surendran.

PETALING JAYA: PKR today accused Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar of backtracking on his challenge to Padang Serai MP N Surendran to accompany policemen in an anti-crime ops.

In a media statement issued here, PKR’s Subang MP R Sivarasa said it was “absurd” for the police to insist that Surendran first agree to clear them of any responsibility for his safety before being allowed to join in such an operation.

He said Surendran was ready to participate in the police operation and urged Khalid to “to stop this charade and withdraw this unlawful and unethical condition.”

Sivarasa is Surendran’s legal advisor.

Last month, Surendran, who is the Padang Serai MP, criticised Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for telling police to “shoot first” at criminal suspects.

In response, Khalid challenged Surendran to accompany police on anti-crime missions, promising to provide him with body armour. The MP accepted the challenge, saying he was willing to place himself “in the line of fire with the policemen who are subject to similar risks.”

In his statement today, Sivarasa said he received a letter from CID chief Hadi Ho last week which listed 10 conditions for Surendran’s participation in the police mission, one of which was that he must not blame the police if anything untoward were to happen to him.

“It is unacceptable for the police to insist on such a demand,” he said.

“It is now clear that the IGP has backtracked on his earlier offer to Surendran. The IGP had made the offer in a knee-jerk manner in response to Surendran’s criticism of the police’s shoot-to-kill policy.”

Sivarasa said the offer was made to intimidate and silence Surendran.

“If the IGP is serious about the offer, he would not impose such an absurd and unacceptable condition”.

Sivarasa also urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to take punitive action against Zahid for his “shoot first” statement.