PM: Police, army exercise nothing to worry about

"Malaysia is safe and stable. Please don't get overexcited about what is happening. There are a lot of rumours. Please don't believe them. Don't panic, " said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after chairing the Northern Corridor Economic Region board's first meeting today.

The Malaysian Inspector General of Police

On the matter of rallies, he said: "Then there is the matter of rallies... which are being done by Anwar. People join these rallies, but when the situation looks like it's getting unstable, they get scared and start selling (shares) and such. I don't understand this." . . more

Head of Military Intelligence Lt Gen Dato' Mohd Salleh Ismail

"It has been long-planned and not just because of the current situation. The police and military have not had a joint exercise for a long time. Because there are new procedures and laws regarding public order, we need to get together and see how we are to execute them. The old laws are from the 50s and now there are new procedures to handle demonstrators and public order. This is nothing to do with being worried about the current situation."

He laughed off suggestions that it was in anticipation of this Sunday's Pakatan Rakyat-backed anti-fuel hike demonstration which is aiming to see a million protestors turn up. But in explaining that it was police responsibility to handle demonstrations, Salleh seemed to be hitting home the message that the military want none of this and refuse to be implicated or involved in any of the intrigue surrounding current local politics. . . more