PDRM monitoring foreign political meetings in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - The police are monitoring foreign political meetings being held in Malaysia to prevent any untoward incidents due to conflicts in the countries of their origin, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said here today.

“Of course their activities will be closely monitored…That is why we don’t encourage them to hold meetings here. But this is a free country. Anybody with valid documents can travel to this country,” he said after a meeting with the National Professors Council (NPC) at Bukit Aman.

He was commenting on the attempted murder of two Myanmar political leaders, including the chairman of the Rakhine National Development Party Dr Aye Maung, in the Bukit Bintang area last week.

The incident was allegedly caused by dissatisfaction over the leader’s investigation into the conflict between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine and Yangon, Myanmar.

On a separate note, Khalid advised people not to believe rumours of a report that Sarawak could face a threat from the Moro National Liberation Front’s (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari who just announced the formation of the Republic of Bangsamoro.

“We have information that Nur Misuari is ill. So don’t heed such rumours. We’re monitoring Southern Philippines’ development very closely. We assure the security in Sarawak and also the east coast of Sabah is tight,” he said.

On his first meeting with NPC, Khalid said it was aimed at obtaining the council members’ views, inputs and ideas on enhancing national security.

“We have agreed to collaborate and form a work group to discuss security and policing issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prof Emeritus Datuk Seri Dr Zakri Abdul Hamid said the council comprised 2,000 professors from private and public institutions of higher learning who would share their expertise on economic and security issues to help maintain national peace.

“We will work together and contribute our ideas to help the police,” he said.