Women's World Open Squash Championship organiser to give statement - IGP

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar today gave his assurance on the security of the people and visitors from abroad including players and officials of the Women's World Open Squash Championship.

He said the concerns of the organiser, Hallmark Events Group that the tournament might be postponed due to security reason was unfounded and they should just take a look at media reports on situation in the country.

Khalid said the allegations of Hong Kong-based organisers were made without prior consultation with police on the security situation in the country.

"I do not understand the tournament organisers, they did not ask the police for any advice on the security of the country.

"I do not know the real problem, maybe they have financial problems," he said when commenting on a statement by Hallmark that the championship scheduled on Dec 11 to 18 in Kuala Lumpur might be postponed over security issue.

Khalid said, as police had ensured the level of security during the 27th ASEAN Summit recently, he stressed that the security of squash players at the tournament would not be a problem to them.

To ensure the allegations do not linger further, he said Kuala Lumpur police contingent had been directed to call the championship organisers to record the statement made.

"I have ordered Kuala Lumpur police to call the organisers as we want to know further what security threat they meant," he said.

Earlier, the postponement of the tournament on security reason caught the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who told the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as police to obtain an explanation from the organisers on the matter.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was today reported as saying the organiser, Hallmark Events Group was using the security excuse to obtain a RM3.5 million sponsorship from the government.

According to Khairy, the postponement of the championship over security was something ridiculous as the country had just hosted the 27th ASEAN Summit which was attended by United States President Barack Obama.