The government will use its powers wisely in dealing with the issue of street demonstrations to avoid misinterpretation and disputes later, said Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He said in focusing on preserving peace and harmony, the government must also ensure that there was no misunderstanding among the people on powers used by the government and police on those intent on causing trouble.

"I am aware there are attempts to paint the police in a bad light, that the police are brutal so that they can label the government as autocratic and not in touch with the times," he told a press conference in Machang today.

Police yesterday issued a stern warning that to those planning street demonstrations on July 9 that they would have to bear the consequences and did not rule out the possibility of using the Internal Security Act against the leaders.

Six people, including Sungai Siput MP D Jeyakumar, were detained today under the Emergency Ordinance, a law similar to the ISA, which allows detention without trial.

Polls free and fair, reiterates Najib

Earlier, Najib had attended a "meet-the-people" session here where 15,000 people turned up followed by a meeting with the Kelantan state football squad the "Red Warriors" at Sekolah Kebangsaan Machang 1, Machang.

Najib also reiterated that elections in the country were clean and that if this was not the case, the opposition could not have won 82 seats in Parliament and deny the Barisan Nasional two-thirds majority, besides winning five states.

"If we had been manipulating elections, this could not have happened and obviously Kelantan would not have been in PAS' hands for 21 years," he added.

- Bernama