Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador described the racial and religious issues raised by certain quarters lately as burdening the Royal Malaysia Police.

He said that efforts by the police to focus on giving a better fair and transparent service delivery to the people, it had been burdened by unexpected and petty issues.

"Such issues pose a burden to the police, they should not have cropped up. 

"After achieving 62 years of independence, we should be smart in our thinking. Sadly this is not the case. 

"It looks as though maturity had brought about backwardness in the thinking of the people [...] it is regretful.

“I urge the people who like to touch on racial and religious issues to be more mature in their thinking. 

"Eventually, if there is chaos in the country, all of us will suffer. No one will benefit from it,” he told reporters after flagging off 5,500 participants of the "Fun Ride & Fun Run" in Georgetown last night.

He said this when asked to comment on the dissatisfaction of certain quarters regarding the court order prohibiting the organising of a conference by Chinese organisations today to protest the teaching of the Jawi script in vernacular schools.

Kajang district police chief Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof, in a statement, said police handed over a court order prohibiting the holding of the event to the organiser, the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) at about 5pm yesterday.

Following that, Dong Zong, in a statement, said it decided to cancel the conference.

Abdul Hamid said he believed police applied for the court order on security grounds but he declined to elaborate.

"It is better for the conference to be cancelled or reorganised in a way that would not touch on the emotion and sentiment of other people. 

"I hold firmly to the principles of democracy. The people are free to voice their views but within safe parameters.

"If there are elements of provocation, the police are the most qualified to make an assessment. 

"I, as the inspector-general of police, have no hidden or narrow agenda to stop the conference. I do not play politics,” he said. - Bernama