Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand's absence at the inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock was not due to the threat on her personal safety as the excuse is considered illogical.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said this was because although the assurance on optimum safety had been given to the pathologist, she had still not given a response to attend and testify at the inquest today.

"I had repeatedly assured her that she would get the best security, the police would do everything necessary to ensure her safety as soon as she arrives in this country until her return home.

"She would be fetched at the airport in a police vehicle before being taken to the tribunal and we would deploy members of the Special Action Unit (UTK) in her room.

"We will ensure that she returns home to Thailand safely," he told reporters at a media conference at the Defence Service Asia (DSA) Conference and Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur today.

Hishammuddin said the allegation that the security assurance given to Pornthip was conditional was not true as the safety of every individual entering Malaysia was protected regardless of the status of their citizenship.

"I did not impose any condition, if she truly does not want to come then the question of safety is not the reason, only she alone knows (the reason).

"We just ask her to prove the claim that she had purportedly been pressured and was worried about her personal safety to the extent that she had decided not to give her statement at the inquest, so that we can investigate the matter," he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the superimposed photographs of him and his family which were posted on the internet, he said they were dirty tactics usually found in the political arena.

Hishammuddin said he had realised that the photographs had been posted in the blogs more than eight years ago but lately, the issue seemed to be deliberately played up again.

"They are all slanders, all this while I refused to entertain such things on the internet. It's up to them if they insist on continuing with the slanders. They don't affect national security at all.

"But the question now is why are they panicking over the accusations made against their leader and candidate in Hulu Selangor and why were the photographs being raised after eight years," he added.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry would ensure that adequate police personnel were deployed in the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency to maintain security especially on polling day on April 25.

However, he said he expected the situation in Hulu Selangor to be under control throughout the duration of the by-election and not as bad compared to the by-elections in other places previously.

- Bernama