Police did not call Parlimen Digital reps for questioning, says IGP
Bukit Aman today denied they called the 'Parlimen Digital' participants in for questioning.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters this morning that he was puzzled to read news claiming so.
"I want to know who...
Bukit Aman today denied they called the 'Parlimen Digital' participants in for questioning.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Abdul Hamid Bador (above) told reporters this morning that he was puzzled to read news claiming so.
"I want to know who are these people who were (supposedly) called by the police, and which police called them. I want to know.
"Because so far, I have not gotten such information. I have checked, we (the police) did not call them (participants) up," he said when met by the media during a government event in Putrajaya.
Abdul Hamid was answering reporters' queries over recent news, where the organisers of Parlimen Digital claimed that its participants were contacted by police after their event ended on Saturday.
Following this, several parties including Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lim Yi Wei and Lawyers for Liberty had condemned the police.
Abdul Hamid said that he did not see any criminal elements in the Parlimen Digitial initiative, citing that he respects the freedom of speech.
He called the participants who were supposedly contacted by cops to come forward with information about the matter.
"So, I now urge those people who complained (that they were called in for questioning) to come forward.
"Don't worry. We will take action fairly.
"This is news to me, that police had purportedly called them to give statements and such."
'Organisers insist participants contacted by cops'
Responding to Abdul Hamid, the Parlimen Digital secretariat said it stand in solidarity with the participants and their shared experiences.
"As organisers, we are called upon to assert that the statement made (by Abdul Hamid) is contradictory to the experiences of our participants.
"For transparency, we are ready to share information of the officers involved to the relevant authorities if needed to clarify any miscommunication," they said.
They reiterated that authorities with any queries should stop directly contacting the participants, and instead reach the organisers through their personal contact or respective organisation.
Parlimen Digitial was an initiative by a group of NGOs where they organised an online 'parliament' session last week to show that virtual debate is a viable option for the Dewan Rakyat.
The initiative was moved following the shortening of the Dewan Rakyat sitting on May 18 to only one day and to only include a single agenda - the opening ceremony by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Perikatan Nasional government had cited the fear of Covid-19 virus infection as the reason for shortening the session.
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