The power to permit or pull the plug on the "German Food and Beverage Festival" scheduled to be held in Klang on Oct 12 and 13 lies with the local authorities and not the police, said inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun.
"Many quarters just don't understand that the power to allow the permit is not within the purview of the police. It is either with the municipal council or district council.
“On our part, we do not (agree to) this (event) because there is a real threat with regard to the issue. We will advise them respectively," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
Mohamad Fuzi also responded to critics who accused the police of barring the festival in the absence of concrete reasons.
"Many accuse us of simply banning (the beer festival), I think that's nonsense," he said, stressing that police intelligence had detected possible threats.
North Klang district police chief ACP Mazelan Paijan recently said the festival would be banned as alcohol beverages would be served.
This is despite the local council approving the permit for the event.
IGP: No misplaced priorities
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi refused to comment on the matter.
Describing it as a “technical and operational question”, he said the matter should be directed to the IGP instead.
Last month, the police put a halt on the Better Beer Festival in Kuala Lumpur as certain groups threatened to create problems at the festival.
Critics said the cops should address the threat instead of banning the festival.
Commenting on this today, Mohamad Fuzi denied that the police have their priorities misplaced.
"We go concurrently (addressing both the security aspect and beer festival). We are not against drinking, but the threat is real, we will not tolerate," he said.
The IGP said he would issue a statement in the next two days to clear the air.- Mkini
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