PETALING JAYA: Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has refuted a statement by the Inspector-General of Police that he could not be contacted prior to his 2.30am arrest at a hotel in Mont Kiara.
Instead, he said he had been in contact with the police and told them that he would be in court the following morning.
He maintained that the early morning arrest was a plot carried out “to create a narrative”.
IGP Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, in a press conference on Tuesday, had explained that Sanusi was arrested because all calls to him had gone unanswered.
“With all due respect to the IGP, his claims are not correct. I was in communication with police as I did not want them to arrest me. I told them I would be present in court.
“I know their intention was to arrest me, more so in public as it would create the ‘narrative’ that an offence had taken place,” he told reporters after accompanying the Sultan of Kedah to a Maal Hijrah gathering yesterday.
Muhammad Sanusi said he was in contact via text messages with police between 10am on Monday and 2am on Tuesday and had the WhatsApp messages to prove his statement.
He also said he did not receive any court notice but learnt that the case was registered online after working hours on Monday.
“Do you see their plot? Rarely do people file a case after working hours. I learnt I would be taken to court to face the charges from a news portal after 6pm,” he said.
He added that while he was attending meetings, he and his officer had received a call from an individual who introduced himself as a police officer from Bukit Aman.
“I have screenshots of this. Do not play with me, I will print them all. I have sent all the screenshots to a senior officer in Bukit Aman.”
He said the police had only told him that they wanted to take his statement.
“I asked them if they wanted to arrest me. I did not want to be arrested as I am a good citizen and have cooperated with the police. I have never tried to flee.” he said.
He was told to go to the Hartamas police station near his hotel but he replied that he would not do so if they planned to arrest him.
Eventually, he was arrested at 2.30am at the hotel. Sanusi said the arresting officers had been professional and polite.
“They allowed me to bathe, brush my teeth and have a drink. They were only carrying out orders.
“It is just that they came in a large group and that scared people at the hotel,” he said.
Sanusi said he was taken to the Gombak police station where he had his statement recorded over another case involving his comments in an online programme called “Keluar Sekejap”.
