JOHOR BARU: Organising a face-to-face debate during the campaigning period will only lead to a negative outcome rather than a positive one, says Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.

       He added that this was the main reason why the proposed debate on SJKC Kuek Ho Yao that was supposed to have taken place on Sunday (March 6) was cancelled.

       “Organising debates is not in the SOP and guidelines imposed by the Election Commission (EC). Only ceramah, campaigning and walkabouts are allowed.

       “We will not allow a debate to be held as it will only lead to unrest, especially when the debate is conducted face-to-face.

       “An open debate will have supporters from both sides. Even when all questions are answered during the debate, the parties involved will still not be satisfied with the given answers, which will eventually lead to unwanted incidents,” he explained on Tuesday (March 8).

       He said this when met by reporters during the early voting process at Dewan Dato’ Onn in the Johor police headquarters here on Tuesday.

       Comm Kamarul Zaman also said that it was better for both parties to continue their campaigns positively until polling day.

       “This is a better way for them to show their capability to lead,” he added.

       Asked whether the police had received a report over the case of a group of politicians gathering at the Johor Baru Tiong-Hua Association building, Comm Kamarul Zaman said police had started an investigation into the matter.

       Earlier, The Star reported that Pasir Gudang MCA member Ang Tun Chek had lodged a police report against Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching, who allegedly made several claims about MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong during the gathering.

       He added that Teo and a group of politicians had gone against police orders by gathering at the association building despite the cancellation of the proposed debate on the primary school.

       Dr Wee had challenged DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to the debate over his claims that the former did not contribute as much as he did towards the construction of SJKC Kuek Ho Yao in Seri Austin here.

       Lim had allegedly made the claim at a ceramah during the second night of the Johor state election campaign.