Members of the public need not be afraid if Special Branch personnel attend meetings of the Police Royal Commission because this is only an "approach to gather feedback", Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar said today.

Winding-up his ministry's responses to the debate on the motion of thanks on the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon, he said the presence of Special Branch personnel at a series of inquiries between the commission and several organisations two weeks ago was merely a "coincidence".

He said that, following the incident, the government had instructed federal police headquarters, Bukit Aman, to order Special Branch personnel not to be present at such inquiries in future.

However, the deputy minister defended the measure by the Special Branch and hinted that the practice would continue.

"This is just an approach to gather feedback from the public through their presence at these public inquiries. (Such meetings are) not confined to the public, but are also open to the police (to attend)," he claimed.

"The government assures the public that they need not be afraid of the presence of police (at the inquiries) because every complaint made will be kept confidential."

Noh was replying to a question by M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) during the debate last week.

Various ministries have been allocated today and tomorrow to reply to questions.

The presence of Special Branch personnel had irked the Police Royal Commission chief Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, who was concerned that it could cast aspersions on the commission's independence.

PPPA 'relevant'

On another matter, Noh said the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) is still relevant.

He was replying to Kamarudin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) who had highlighted a proposal by the Human Rights Commission and journalists to set up an independent and self-regulating media council .

Media practitioners have said the PPPA must be repealed before they would agree to the establishment of a media council.

However Noh said his ministry felt that the PPPA is essential to continue monitoring the activities and functions of the media, in order to ensure that news content does not breach national harmony.

To another question from Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) as to whether a Freedom of Information Act would be enacted, the deputy minister maintained that the PPPA is still relevant in monitoring the media so that it is not exploited.

Noh also said freedom of expression and freedom of information are assured under the Federal Constitution.

He further responded to Ghazali Ibrahim (BN-Padang Terap), who had asked about government action against the open selling of the PAS official organ, Harakah, as the biweekly tabloid has been allegedly spreading false news.

Noh agreed with the backbencher's view. Displaying the latest issue of Harakah , Noh alleged that it had published false reports such as the alleged ill-treatment of detainees being held under the Internal Security Act.

However, he said the government at this point has no plans to curb these "false reports" since the publication is only being circulated among party members. He reminded PAS to comply with the laws.

Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) interjected at this juncture, challenging the government to take legal action if it has proof that Harakah has published false reports. However, Noh did not respond.