The police today refuted allegations they ordered the closure of five entrances on the second floor of the Tun Abdul Razak Complex (Komtar) as security measure.

Penang police chief Ayub Yaakob said the police were not responsible for such a move as the complex had its own management and security control system.

He said the police had attended a meeting to discuss security aspects in Komtar after Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was hit on the shoulder by an unidentified elderly man on Aug 2.

"However, we did not issue any order or suggest closing the entrances," he told reporters in Georgetown today.

Ayub said he was disappointed with a report which stated the entrances on the second floor could only be opened with police consent.

Nevertheless, he said, the police had asked the Komtar management to increase security after the incident, as it involved the safety of a chief minister.

Meanwhile, Penang deputy state secretary (administration) Muhammad Yusoff Wazir said in a media statement yesterday, the state government would review the new security procedures at Komtar.

This followed an incident on Aug 10 where a coffeeshop operator at the complex doused himself with petrol after lamenting his source of income was badly affected by the security measure.

- Bernama