SUBANG JAYA: Police have summoned two New Straits Times editors to provide statements regarding a TV3 news reader's complaint that two policemen who dealt with him had been rude, arrogant and unprofessional.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said that one editor has provided a statement so far, while another will be called in later.
"Overall, six individuals including the news presenter who is also the author of the article have been questioned," he told reporters today.
However, one of the NST editors said he had since received a call from the investigating officer informing him that police had postponed interviewing the second editor.
The editor was scheduled to have his statement recorded at the Subang Jaya police station at 2pm today.
"However, the IO told me that the interview would be delayed to some other time," Business Times Editor Zuraimi Abdullah said.
Zuraimi was the first NST editor called to have his statement recorded over TV3 news reader Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan's letter to the editor which was published in the NST on March 16.
Muhammed had complained that he had a rude encounter with two policemen in front of his house after he returned home late night last Tuesday upon completion of his midnight news programme.
His letter however has infuriated the police with Wan Azlan responding that the two policemen from the motorcycle patrol unit (URB) involved during the inspection were only performing their duties according to police guidelines.
Wan Azlan added that the reports were lodged as the policemen felt that the claims made against them were not true and that it had affected the image of the country's police force, especially Subang Jaya police.
Following this, Muhammed was called to have his statement recorded followed by Zuraimi, who had only passed on the news presenter's letter to be uploaded on the NST website and published in print.
The controversy has also grabbed Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's attention, who has promised a fair investigation.