KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has justified today the reported arrest of caretaker Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s at 3am this morning, saying there was a worry he may abscond from his court hearing.

Following brickbats, Razarudin said police officers from the Kedah state contingent were unable to locate Sanusi yesterday night after they were informed of the Attorney General’s Chambers’ plan to charge Sanusi with alleged sedition.

"Why was he arrested at night? Firstly, when we requested the Kedah police for assistance, they discovered he was not in Kedah. And we subsequently obtained the information he was going to be at Astro Awani around 10pm, which we later found out he was not there either,” he said in a live-streamed press conference, referring to Sanusi.

"At the same time, all of our calls to inform him to attend court the next day were rejected, which include calls made to his senior private secretary and political secretary.”

Due to Sanusi being unreachable, Razarudin said the former was eventually later located around Mont Kiara in Kuala Lumpur around 2.30am.

"My officers made the arrest based on an earlier news report claiming Sanusi was uninformed of him getting charged the next day.

"But we had considered as we were worried he may abscond from appearing in court. That is our justification to ensure he attends court and faces the charges,” he said.

Razarudin also said a total of 58 police reports, including a report lodged by the Selangor Council of the Royal Court, were lodged against Sanusi.

Last Friday, Datuk Emran Kadir of the Selangor Council of the Royal Court demanded Sanusi issue a public apology to the state Ruler, stating that the latter’s comments were an insult as the Sultan has the prerogative to appoint the menteri besar.

At a recent political rally, Sanusi, who is also the Perikatan Nasional election director, allegedly disputed the Malay Ruler’s choice of Amirudin as the menteri besar.

Sanusi, who is also Perikatan Nasional’s elections director, was taken to the Sessions Court in Selayang this morning where he was charged and claimed trial to two counts of sedition.

The two charges were in relation to Sanusi’s recent remarks to the Selangor Sultan, as well as against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s assertion of a call for unity government by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.