Rural Development minister Ismail Sabri said he was “shocked” by the police report lodged against him by two SUPP Youth leaders who claimed his speech on setting up a ' Low Yat Plaza 2 ' for Malay traders was seditious.

"I did not know that to promote bumiputera entrepreneurs could be deemed a crime, until there were people who lodged a police report against me," Ismail said in Penang today.

"This is new to me. It means that nowadays, we cannot promote bumiputera entrepreneurs or say 'Malay'.

"Because if we do, there will be people who will lodge police reports. This is something new in our country," he added.

On Thursday, SUPP Youth central publicity and information secretary Milton Foo and Pelawan branch secretary Tiang Ming Tee lodged a report against the Umno leader for suggesting a Malay-exclusive electronics mall to rival that of the famous Low Yat Plaza in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Low Yat Plaza hit the spotlight last month when a brawl over an alleged phone theft escalated into a fracas with racial undertones.

Ismail said SUPP’s report against him was illogical, adding that the police has not contacted him about it.

"I am certain the police would review the matter before acting on it. If I were called by the police tomorrow, we would be able to report on anyone we like," he said after meeting federal-funded village and security development committee (JKKK) members in Penang this morning.

1MDB controversy 'all slander'

Meanwhile, Ismail said he has briefed the JKKK members about the controversy surrounding the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), but told them it was all " fitnah " (slander).

He said the allegations over 1MDB was still considered slander as there was no "complete and clear" evidence against it.

He added that the matter was still being probed by the attorney-general’s office, and will be investigated by the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

"It is not fair to make any judgements about it. In law, one is innocent before proven guilty, so we shall wait until the probe is completed.

"Prime Minister Najib Razak has already explained that allegations against the RM42 billion losses were baseless as the money was used to acquire assets for the company.

"There is no question of the money being lost. After all, 1MDB is still operating. It has not been declared bankrupt. The people should not be worried," he assured.

Ismail said 1MDB has also presented its future plans to the cabinet, and Najib has said that the sovereign fund’s woes will be resolved by the end of the year, and urged others to wait.