Past is past, ex-IGP tells Nurul over black eye incident

Former inspector-general of police Abdul Rahim Noor said it is "irrelevant" to link his appointment as southern Thailand peace process facilitator to Anwar Ibrahim's black eye incident in 1998.

Saying "what is past, is past," he believed the government had chosen him based on his role in the peace talks with the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) in 1989.

The peace talks saw CPM sign a peace deal with Malaysia and the Thai government, known as the Peace Agreement of Hat Yai, after more than 40 years of insurgency.

"What happened at that time was the past (black eye incident).

"In my opinion, it was irrelevant for her (Nurul Izzah Anwar) to link my appointment with what had happened then, unless the decision to appoint me as the peace process facilitator was objected by Thai authorities or the Mara Pattani group.

"So far, from the feedback I have received, there is nothing to indicate their objection. These two parties are the ones which have stakes in the peace process," he told Malaysiakini.

Rahim, who was the IGP between 1994 and 1999, was responding to Nurul's post on Twitter this morning, where she stated her objection to his appointment, and described him as a "brutal assaulter of an innocent man." 

She was referring to her father Anwar, who was assaulted in police custody following his sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998, which left him with the infamous black eye.

Rahim said Nurul's reaction was to be expected from the politician.

He added that another possible reason behind the government's decision to appoint him was because of his experience and knowledge in security and border issues.

"I believe that the government had also taken into consideration my experience and knowledge in national security issues, including on matters at our border with Thailand.

"Back then, we managed to solve the problem of CPM in southern Thailand through peace talks. Next year would be the 30th anniversary of the Peace Agreement of Hat Yai.

"And now, there is one more trouble at the border, which happens in the southern Thai part of the border, where there is a conflict between the Malays and the Thai government. I believe the government decided to give me this role for my experience," he said.

It was reported that Rahim, 75, would replace Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim as the new facilitator for the southern Thai peace talk process between the Thai government and Mara Pattani group.

Apart from Nurul, the appointment also drew criticism from Bersatu strategist Rais Husin and former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin. - Mkini