Police detained caretaker Kedah menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor at 3am today after he failed to answer their phone calls, according to Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain.
Razarudin (above) said police tried to locate Sanusi in Kedah and later in Kuala Lumpur where he was scheduled to attend an interview with Astro Awani but could not find him.
"He also rejected (menolak) all our calls when we tried to tell him to appear at the Selayang (Sessions) Court (where he was later charged under the Sedition Act).
"Our calls to his senior private secretary and political secretary were also rejected," he told a press conference.
Malaysiakini has contacted Sanusi for a response to the Razarudin’s claims.
Razarudin held the press conference, aired live on the police's Facebook account, specifically to address the issue after they were criticised for detaining Sanusi at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours.
The top cop told reporters that police officers attempted to contact Sanusi yesterday after receiving an order from the Attorney-General's Chambers to charge the menteri besar in court.
They include engaging the Kedah police contingent to locate Sanusi in the state, but he could not be found.
Police then went to Astro Awani’s office in Kuala Lumpur after they learned that Sanusi would be there at 10pm last night, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Razarudin said police also learned from media reports that the Kedah menteri besar claimed he had not been informed about his court case.
"But we want to inform you here that he had rejected all our phone calls.
"Because we could not reach him by phone, we tried to find him and finally at about 2.30am this morning, police managed to locate his whereabouts in the Mont Kiara area.
"So, we informed him (about the court case) and arrested him," Razarudin said.
Defending the agency's action, Razarudin said Sanusi was being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act, which is a seizable offence.
"Actually, if you ask me, we can arrest him anytime (because it is a seizable offence).
"But we also have our discretion. We only picked up the (caretaker) Kedah menteri besar after we were worried that he might not turn up at the court today."
According to the IGP, after detaining Sanusi, police also recorded the incumbent Jeneri assemblyperson's statement over another case they are investigating.
The other case concerned a police report lodged four days ago (July 14), said Razarudin, but he declined to reveal further details.
Speedy probe
Meanwhile, the top cop was also asked by reporters why the investigation against Sanusi was done speedily while other politicians - who have also touched on issues involving the 3Rs (race, religion and royalty) - had yet to be taken to court.
To this, Razarudin explained that the other politicians being investigated by police did not directly talk about the royal institution.
"You have the facts of the cases involving (DAP chairperson) Lim Guan Eng and (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang. Their cases are not the same (as Sanusi's). They did not touch on the royal institution.
"Although these are all cases involving the 3Rs, the nature of the cases must be viewed holistically.
"(Sanusi's) case involves the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Sultan of Selangor. Members of the Selangor Royal Council were also upset and lodged police reports," he said. - Mkini
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