PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says neither he nor the Prime Minister directed the police to cancel the debate between Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The Deputy Prime Minister said this was purely a police decision, which was not even referred to him in his capacity as Home Minister.

“There is no political interference in the matter. The decision to cancel the debate was at the discretion of the Selangor police chief and prior to that, the acting chief of Perak.

“Nevertheless, I want to have a look at the reason why they decided to cancel the debate.

“If we feel that it should or can be held, then we will request for a permit to be issued,” Dr Ahmad Zahid said after visiting the International Modern Arabic School at Precinct 14 here on Tuesday.

However, the Deputy Prime Minister pledged to abide by the authorities’ call to cancel the event if their reasons were valid.

Police initially granted a permit for the debate between the former prime minister and Tourism and Culture Minister to be held on April 7 at Karangkraf’s headquarters in Shah Alam.

However, police decided to revoke it, citing a “credible threat to public order,” with intelligence reports stating there would be certain groups who might cause disturbance on the day of the event as well as before and after the debate.

Earlier, the Perak police also denied a permit for the same debate planned on March 25 in Kuala Kangsar.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar earlier said the police were merely exercising its powers under Section 3(3) of the Police Act 1967.

“The decision to stop the debate was made after taking into consideration that if the event is allowed to take place, it will inevitably create public disorder,” Khalid said in a statement on Tuesday.-thestar