“Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed gave the green light for this debate, but apparently this wasn’t enough to override the police decision.
“But this is just a debate that is to be held indoors. It’s not a public rally,” he told a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here today.
The debate was initially scheduled to be held in the hall of the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) in Kuala Kangsar on March 25.
But acting Perak police chief Hasnan Hassan earlier today said the police will not allow the debate to go on as the organisers had submitted the application form late, and because such an event was not allowed on school premises.
He also said that eight police reports were lodged by the public and residents in the vicinity who claimed to be worried about their safety and that of their families.
Mahathir thinks otherwise, and alleged that a certain “someone” may have had a hand in the police’s decision.
“I have a feeling that someone is afraid because this debate is about that someone’s wrongdoings, and he is the one with power. But why does (that someone) have to be afraid of a debate if he has done nothing wrong?
“This is a democratic country, everything should be done and discussed openly,” he said.
The chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia then drew a parallel between the present situation and the Nothing To Hide forum held back in 2015 at the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
“I was disappointed when (Prime Minister) Najib (Razak) didn’t show up at the Nothing To Hide forum. So this (his debate with Nazri) is another opportunity for me.
“But the same thing is happening again.”
The Nothing To Hide forum was held on June 5, 2015 at the Putra World Trade Centre. It was supposed to be attended by Najib and for him to address public queries. But it was cancelled unexpectedly when Mahathir said he would be joining the event as well.
Mahathir, who was then still a member of Umno, came to the forum as he had promised and spoke for about six minutes before he was forced to stop by the police and pulled off stage.
At the time, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar, had said that the event was called off to preserve “public order”.
The Prime Minister’s Office later attributed Najib’s absence at the forum to police advice over security concerns.
Meanwhile, Mahathir said Nazri’s public request for Barisan Nasional supporters’ to stay away from this Saturday’s debate, is just a way for the tourism and culture minister to assure Najib that the information revealed on the day will be contained.
“The fact is that they don’t want Umno people to hear anything about 1MDB and Najib’s wrongdoings.
“So he (Nazri) is trying to assure Najib that Umno supporters won’t hear all these. He’s afraid of his boss, who is afraid that some things may be exposed.”
The debate came about after Mahathir challenged Nazri to a debate on political and economic matters affecting the nation.
He reportedly cited topics like 1MDB, the Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF) scandal and the deposit of RM2.6 billion into Najib’s bank accounts.
Mahathir, 91, had also given assurances that the debate would be held in a peaceful environment.
Nazri: I’m a street fighter, I can handle ‘difficult’ situations