Nazri Aziz: Cops ordered reports against my debate

Tourism minister Nazri Abdul Aziz has claimed that the police instructed several Umno leaders in Padang Rengas to lodge reports that led to the cancellation of his debate with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed last month.

Speaking at an Umno Overseas Club alumni dinner function in Kuala Lumpur last night, the Padang Rengas MP said he was perplexed by the excuse of the police that the permits were denied on grounds of potential security concerns.

"I asked the police to see the reports. They did not show me, but I got them (the reports) anyway.

"All five reports were identical (in format) and have identical statements," Nazri, an Umno supreme council member, said.

From the five reports, Nazri further revealed that he discovered how an Umno branch leader, an Umno Youth leader and a village chief in his constituency were instructed by the police to lodge reports against the debate, which was initially scheduled to be held at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Kuala Kangsar on on March 25.

"All three of them, when I asked, why did you this? They said, 'the police instructed'.

"Do you (police) think this is a joke? How can it be that I, as a minister, if I debate with Mahathir, it could lead to a fight?" Nazri said.

"It was their (police) game. Truly they played (a game). I don't care if the police are listening," he said in response to a participant who asked whether there were legitimate security concerns for the police decision to reject the notice submitted by debate organiser Kumpulan Karangkraf.

Nazri also claimed that while their debate was not allowed to take place, the local police had approved an application from Bersatu to hold a political rally featuring Mahathir in Padang Rengas, on the same night.

He said he was angry with the cancellation as it fuelled speculation that he, as a minister, had backed out of the debate.

"Any other minister may have backed out. Minister Nazri Aziz is different," Nazri said, adding he then personally contacted Karangkraf founder Husammudin Yaacub to arrange for the debate to be held at its premises in Shah Alam.

Despite initially obtaining approval for the debate to be held on April 7, Husammudin said the written consent was revoked by Selangor police in less than 24-hours.

Selangor deputy police chief Mohd Fuad Abdul Latiff later said trouble makers were expected to disrupt the event and that 18 police reports had been lodged against it.

'Debate on donations needed'

"That's why I said if I was that much of a security threat, we should hold the debate in Antarctica because penguins do not understand Malay.

"I am prepared to face Dr Mahathir… Up on the sky, in the middle of the ocean. Just make it happen," Nazri said.

Nazri also stressed he was adamant on debating Mahathir as there were questions that needed to be asked following the the former prime minister's attacks on Umno president Najib Abdul Razak's RM2.6 billion donation scandal.

In insisting that Najib had done no wrong to open a personal account and solicit donations from Saudi's King Salman Abdul Aziz Al Saudi for BN's election machinery, Nazri said Mahathir must similarly come clean on the amounts he had sourced to fund five elections for BN during his own time as Umno president.

"All we know is that all his children are very rich," Nazri said, after pointing out that it was only a crime to accept laundered funds from questionable sources and through corrupt means.- Mkini