The police clarified that an advisory to the media not to send representatives to cover an event in front of the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters last week was a "mistake and misunderstanding".

"My directive to my subordinates was misunderstood," Bukit Aman public relations department head Supt Mohamad Daud told the Sun .

Last Friday, malaysiakini reported that the police had sent a media advisory to editors not to cover the event.

The one-paragraph note signed by Mohamad read: "The IGP (Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan) seeks your cooperation by not sending any (media) representatives to attend an event organised by the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) (in front of Bukit Aman) on the said date and time. Bukit Aman is a restricted area and not for public assembly."

Asked about his statement, Mohamad reiterated that the directive was not from the IGP.

"I did not mean to interfere. The NGOs said they wanted to send a letter to us and make a statement in front of Bukit Aman.

"I told them they cannot as Bukit Aman is a prohibited area. I did not mean media cannot cover the event," he claimed.

The event in question was the handing over of a memorandum pertaining to the death of a 45-year-old woman detainee Samiyati Indrani Zukarnam Indraputra.

The memorandum, which called for an independent probe into the case, was handed over to the police by Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth vice-chief S Manickavasagam.

The advisory had caused concern among media watchdogs who urged the police not to interfere with the media and called on Musa to apologise to the groups involved.

Drug bust

In an unrelated development, the police arrested five men and two women, believed to be members of a drug ring, and seized drugs worth RM1.8 million in Penang.

Penang police chief Christopher Wan Soo Kee said two of the men were arrested by a narcotics team from Bukit Aman and Penang in Ayer Itam following a public tip-off.

Their arrest led police to a house in Jalan Padang Tembak which was used as a laboratory to process heroin.

"In the raid at the house, police seized 27.45 kg of heroin and 100 kg caffeine as well as tools for drug processing. This is the biggest drug haul in the state this year," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Wan said police also seized cash of about RM300,000, believed to be from drug sales, jewellery and five cars worth RM980,000.

Following further investigation, police were able to arrest another three men and two women, all locals aged between 20 and 40 years.

Wan said the processed drugs were for supply in Penang, Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

"We believe there are still members of the syndicate at large and we are identifying them," he added.