The police have denied engineering the cancellation of the planned debate between Tourism and Cuture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Responding to Nazri, Perak police chief Hasnan Hassan said the minister's claim that the police instructed several quarters to file police reports against the debate as baseless.

"I would like to stress that the police would never be involved in any political disputes or take sides with any individual.

"PDRM Perak is a professional body and would only take actions based on existing law and regulations," he added in a media statement.

Hasnan advised all quarters against dragging the police into political matters to pursue their personal agendas.

In an immediate response, Nazri told Malaysiakini that he stood by his remarks.

"I have read all five police reports (lodged by Umno members), I know what I am talking about. In politics, people know that I don't lie.

"This is just a typical reply (from the police) as they don't have anything to say," he said.

Nazri said if the police did not meddle in politics, they would not have barred his debate with Mahathir.

During an Umno Overseas Club alumni dinner on Sunday night, Nazri claimed that the police instructed several Umno grassroots leaders in Padang Rengas to lodge reports that led to the cancellation of the debate.

From the five reports, Nazri revealed he discovered how an Umno branch leader, an Umno Youth leader and a village chief in his constituency were instructed by the police to lodge reports against the debate.

The debate was initially scheduled to be held at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Kuala Kangsar on March 25.

Nazri also claimed that while their debate was not allowed to take place, the local police had approved an application from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to hold a political rally featuring Mahathir in Padang Rengas on the same night.