The police remained tightlipped over the speculation that the identity of the woman in the nude squat clip was withheld due to the Pengkalan Pasir by-election.

It was initially speculated that the victim was a Chinese national but later an independent inquiry commission tasked to probe the incident confirmed she was a local Malay

Police had concluded their investigations on Nov 28, four days after the clip was exposed by a DAP parliamentarian.

The clip, recorded using a mobile phone, showed the woman being forced to do ear squats in the nude at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters.

After her identity was revealed, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang speculated that the police had kept her identity under wraps in order not to affect Barisan Nasional's chances in a crucial by-election on Dec 6.

Wait for inquiry's report

Asked to respond to this, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan refused to comment.

"I cannot comment on this matter. We have to wait for the inquiry's report," he said when contacted yesterday.

He also refused to state why the police had not revealed its findings on the clip.

Previously, Lim had argued that Home Minister Azmi Khalid's fence-mending mission to China would have been made easier, if the police had disclosed the details.

In another development, the Tourism Ministry has blamed media reports on the allegations of police abuse against Chinese nationals as the cause for the decline in tourists from that country.

The media frenzy on the police treatment of Chinese nationals resulted in their dwindling numbers, its minister Dr Leo Michael Toyad told the Dewan Negara yesterday.

Other incidents including the ill treatment of Chinese tourists in Genting Highlands, snatch thefts and the murder of a Chinese student also contributed to this, he added.