KLANG: The Klang Selatan police have denied that they were part of the Fiesta Gegar Klang 2016 organising committee, as reported by a Malay daily on Jan 2, in an article entitled "Polis, MPK saling tuding jari. Pertunjukan bunga api tiada permit" (Police, MPK often point fingers. (But) fireworks show did not have permit).
District police chief Assistant Commissioner Alzafny Ahmad shot down the allegation, made by Klang Municipal Council (MPKlang) president Datuk Mohamad Yasib Bidin in the article, clarifying that the police merely sat in on a meeting held by the committee which organised the Dec 30-Jan 1 event to usher in the New Year.
"The statement made by the MPKlang president is inaccurate. We were not involved in the committee. We were invited once to only attend a meeting pertaining to this programme on Dec 24, which took place at the MPK Klang Raja Mahadi meeting room.
“Since then, we were never involved in any meetings or discussions related to Fiesta Gegar Klang 2016.
"It is the police's responsibility to provide security for every programme that involves a large crowd.
“Since the organiser did not make any permit application, referred to or sought any views or advice from the police to have a fireworks display during the programme, we took it (that) it had (been) cancelled, and the police would focus on our duty to provide security to the public.
“With this, we hope the issues that were raised in the article (would be explained)," he said.
Alzafny said this in a statement released by the Klang Selatan district police headquarters media unit last night.
The Fiesta Gegar Klang 2016 celebrations turned ugly when the fireworks display at midnight failed to launch into the sky and shot towards the crowd who had gathered at Pandamaran Sports Complex in Port Klang.