Sanusi: I was in contact with police, I just didn't want to be arrested

Caretaker Kedah menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has denied that the police were unable to reach him or his aides before his arrest on Tuesday morning.

Instead, Sanusi (above) said he was in communication with Bukit Aman since Monday night and had explicitly told them he did not want to be arrested.

“I was in communication with a Bukit Aman officer from 10pm until 2am (around the time of the arrest).

“I didn’t want them to arrest me because I knew there was a complot to do so, as it would give the narrative that I had committed an offence. 

“I wanted it to be avoided and said that I would cooperate in going to court,” he told reporters in Kedah today.

Sanusi added that he had evidence proving his communication with the police.

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said the police arrested Sanusi at 3am on Tuesday after he failed to answer their phone calls to tell him to appear at the Selayang Sessions Court later that morning.

Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain

Razarudin 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.

‘Cops were professional’

In response to this, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) election director said: “Where would I run to? I am a menteri besar.”

Sanusi said the police had told him to head to the Sri Hartamas district police station to have his statement recorded.

However, the caretaker Kedah menteri besar explained that he had several meetings on Monday and would give his statement after appearing in court on Tuesday morning.

“I told the senior police officer - whose name I won’t mention - please don’t arrest me tonight, I will appear at Selayang court tomorrow morning and any further investigations can be done afterward.

“(I explained) that it was midnight and I haven’t rested since morning, surely I wouldn’t want to give a statement at this hour,” he said.

However, the police showed up at his hotel at 3am on Tuesday.

“They (the officers) were very professional and I don’t blame them because they were acting on orders. They allowed me time and waited for me to shower, bathe, and drink coffee,” he said.

Sanusi said that the police neither handcuffed nor detained him when he was brought to the Gombak police station.

He said the officers then asked him four questions regarding his earlier statement on non-Muslims giving and receiving more bribes than Muslims.

The caretaker menteri besar then remained at the station until 8.30am before he was taken to the Selayang courthouse to face charges.

Sanusi later claimed trial to two charges accusing him of uttering words that had the tendency to incite disloyalty against a ruler.

Earlier today, Parliamentary opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin disputed official accounts of why Sanusi had to be arrested at 3am.

Hamzah said it was strange that the police were unable to reach Sanusi, given the latter’s bodyguard is a police personnel. - Mkini