PKR: Bukit Aman behind anti-Anwar talks in Kelantan

PKR has zeroed in on federal police headquarters Bukit Aman, saying it is involved in a series of talks to spread 'lies' and 'slander' against Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in PAS-led Kelantan.

At a press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya, deputy president Mohd Azmin Ali reiterated PKR's accusation that a senior police officer at the national level is playing “political agent” for Umno.

According to Azmin, the talks - themed 'Seminar Isu-Isu Keselamatan Negara Masa Kini' - were organised in Bachok and three other areas in Kelantan and were directed at school principals and teachers.

As many as 2,000 principals and teachers are said to have attended the events, with each school being required to send its principal and eight teachers.

Azmin said one of the main speakers is a police officer with the rank of senior assistant commissioner (SAC). Named as Abdul Rahman Ismail, he is the chief assistant director in the research and secretariat unit in Bukit Aman.

Azmin, the MP for Gombak, showed what was claimed to be evidence.

By engaging with the public in such a manner, Azmin said Abdul Rahman had become one of the BN-government's "slander agents to talk about sex and sodomy issues".

"He said Anwar is guilty in the sodomy case and sex video issue," claimed Azmin, who described the alleged police involvement in the talks as an abuse of the police force by Umno.

"Why is a senior police involved in giving a political speech which repeats Umno propaganda?"

To substantiate his claim Azmin showed the programme schedule and photos of the talk held in Bachok.

According to the schedule, the talk was organised by the Bachok district education office and officiated by Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek Hussain.

It says the talk is intended to give the "correct explanation" on current issues to teachers, so that they will not be influenced or misled by certain parties.

Last Friday, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar had said she received complaints that a senior police official - erroneously named as 'Isa Abdul Rahman' from Bukit Aman - had given talks to teachers in several schools in Kelantan over the past month to discredit Anwar.

"This officer from Bukit Aman" has been telling teachers that Anwar is a threat to national security and that he is actually the one in the sex video screened to journalists at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on March 21, Nurul Izzah said she was told.

Fellow vice-president Tian Chua accused the police of "dancing to the tune of the ruling parties", saying he personally has received complaints that Malay party workers from PKR have been pulled aside for "friendly advice" from the police.

"My election workers have been pulled aside and given a lecture by the police, saying that 'it's true that Anwar is the man in the video' and that they have 'inside information'," he claimed.

"It's not isolated but widespread. Many of our Malay party members have been targeted to be given this sort of 'advice' that Anwar truly is the actor. Such talk has been experienced by many PKR members."

Azmin also urged Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar (left) to explain the matter, to prevent the police and other government machinery being abused by Umno for propangada purposes.

"How can the police conduct a transparent and professional investigation into (the sodomy case), sex video and Altantuya (Shaariibuu) murder, if a high-ranked (police) officer is involved in this propaganda agenda?"

"What (assurance can) the IGP and newly-appointed deputy IGP Khalid Abu Bakar (give) that the police will become a highly-regarded institution to safeguard national security?"