KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin today questioned the claim that caretaker Kedah menteri besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was arrested due to the police being unable to locate the latter.

Sanusi had been assigned a bodyguard from the police as part of his role as a menteri besar so it was odd that the police were unable to contact one of their own, Hamzah said in a video posted to his Facebook page.

"Isn’t it strange that the police themselves said they were unable to contact Sanusi?

"It doesn’t make any sense as they have a police officer who was placed beside (Sanusi) to be his bodyguard and to look after his safety.

"They could have directly asked the bodyguard where Sanusi was at any time,” he said.

He claimed that "an invisible hand” had interfered in the matter ensuring that the 3am arrest of Sanusi occurred as part of efforts to humiliate the latter as he had already agreed to be present at his court hearing later that morning.

Hamzah alleged that this was because Sanusi is a top leader from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Sanusi yesterday pleaded not guilty to two counts of sedition under Section 4(1)(A) of the Sedition Act for statements made on July 11 that insulted the Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah during a speech in Gombak.

At a recent political rally, Sanusi, who is also the PN election director, allegedly disputed the Malay Ruler’s choice of Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari as the menteri besar

Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain justified Sanusi’s 3am arrest by saying there was a worry he may abscond from his court hearing.

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.

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.