Safety of Sanusi, other candidates guaranteed, says top cop

Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain says Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has personal bodyguards, who are police personnel, to look after his safety.

As such, he said, Sanusi’s safety during the election campaign was guaranteed.

"Insha Allah, if there is a threat (against Sanusi), these bodyguards will inform the Kedah police chief (Fisol Salleh).

"At the same time, if there are candidates who feel unsafe when going on their campaigns, please lodge a report and we will investigate," he told Bernama yesterday.

However, he said that police monitoring on the ground had found no threat against any candidate. 

Police personnel have been deployed to various locations to prevent any untoward incidents during the six upcoming state elections, he added.

He said this when asked to comment on a claim by Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden that Sanusi, who is contesting the Jeneri seat, did not attend Perikatan Nasional’s political talk at Padang Awam in Sungai Petani, Kedah, on Aug 6 due to security issues.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the election campaigns, including in Kedah, were proceeding in an orderly manner and in accordance with the rules and regulations.

"So far there have been no (untoward) incidents in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan and Terengganu. So how can there be a security issue in Kedah... if there is, there certainly will be warnings and advice by the security team," he added.

He said there had been one or two cases of vandalism involving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's billboards.

"But in Kedah, we are all witnesses to how calm the campaign is," he said after meeting with traders at Pasar Billion in Alor Setar yesterday.