KUALA LUMPUR: Police have not yet received any notice on the debate between former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz on April 7.

“We have not been given any notice as yet so I will not comment,” said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (pic) when he was asked on the matter during the 210th Police Day celebrations at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here on Saturday.

Khalid also brushed off Nazri’s question about whether Malaysia was a police state.

“What police state? Do you feel your freedom is being curbed? Do you feel everywhere you go, you need police to give you orders? Do you feel that when you move around in the city, you need police to be around you all the time?” Khalid asked.

“These are political comments,” he added.

The debate was originally scheduled for Saturday at the Mara Junior Science College in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, but was postponed following the organiser’s failure to get police approval.

Debate organiser Sinar Harian has said that the rescheduled debate, which is to be moderated by Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, will now take place at the Karangkraf Media Group auditorium in Shah Alam from 9.30pm on April 7.

Nazri had criticised the police on Tuesday for its decision to bar his proposed debate with Dr Mahathir.

Acting Perak police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Hasnan Hassan had said that police rejected the application by the debate organiser because it did not comply with the 10-day notice requirement under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

He also said that the venue chosen for the debate, Mara Junior Science College, was prohibited under the Act as it is a school.

Nazri, however, said that the debate was not a “public assembly”.

“These are not reasons to stop a dialogue. I have permission from the Mara director, I have spoken to him and a letter has been sent.

“So I don’t understand why the police are blocking my individual rights. I’m a minister, Dr Mahathir is a former prime minister; since when have we become a police state?” he said.-thestar