Cops won’t allow Ka Siong-Guan Eng debate

 

Police said 806 officers have been tasked with monitoring and ensuring there is no trouble during the Johor elections campaign.

JOHOR BAHRU: Police have disallowed a scheduled debate today between MCA president Wee Ka Siong and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

State police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said police would not allow face-to-face debates to be conducted by any party during the Johor state elections campaign.

The ban was to avoid any unpleasant situation which could disturb the peace.

“Face-to-face debates are disallowed. Please understand the situation. It is currently calm and anyone can campaign and the political parties can do so peacefully,” he said, according to Bernama.

“So, we don’t want anything that can destroy the peace and thus, prevent all from campaigning,” he said at a news conference here today.

The debate involving Wee and Lim was scheduled for today at the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association hall. It was to discuss issues involving a school project.

Kamarul said so far, police had only allowed ceramahs to be held after getting police permits.

He said police had issued 1,411 permits for ceramahs and campaigning, from nomination day until yesterday.

Only six applications were rejected as they involved overlapping of events and close proximity between venues.

He also said that so far, 806 officers and personnel had been tasked with monitoring and ensuring no trouble during the election campaign.

At the same time, he said police had received 152 reports and opened 10 investigation papers under the Penal Code, the Election Offences Act 1954, and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.

“The alleged offences included holding ceramahs without a permit, causing mischief by burning election campaign materials, and putting up offensive or obscene postings on Facebook.

“The cases being investigated include those that incite ill feelings or animosity and violation of SOPs,” he added. - FMT