KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has reportedly insisted that the threats against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for his support of the Palestinian cause are real.

He reportedly said that these threats should not be taken lightly or labelled as political manoeuvring, and he has discussed the matter of Anwar's security with Deputy IGP Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

"Only Anwar would have complete details of these threats and the prime minister might choose not to disclose them to avoid offending countries that shared sensitive information and, in turn, creating public disorder.

"The parties making the threats would not openly announce them to avoid international backlash for bullying a smaller nation,” Razarudin was quoted by New Straits Times.

He said Anwar might have been notified of the possible threats from other countries, and the police Special Branch was working with its foreign counterparts to verify the information.

Based on the threats, Razarudin said Anwar had been advised to limit his public appearances and police had since increased the number of his bodyguards, in addition to cooperating with the Armed Forces for public safety, and being aware of potential cyber or economic threats.

"The Special Branch has a division that assesses economic sabotage. But what is important to me is the safety of our prime minister, because if anything happens to him, I will bear the shame.

"As the IGP, it is my responsibility to ensure safety and public order in Malaysia. So if the IGP is ashamed, the whole police force will be ashamed, too, for not being able to protect one prime minister,” he was quoted as saying.

Razarudin also acknowledged the potential security concerns to Anwar by local and foreign intelligence operatives in the country.

He cited the assassination of a 35-year-old Palestinian professor and Hamas member Fadi Mohamed al-Batsh who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Kuala Lumpur in 2018, and last year's arrest of a Malaysian woman for allegedly kidnapping a Palestinian believed to be a computer programming expert.

Razarudin said investigations revealed that the woman who was involved in the kidnapping had been recruited by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad in 2016 and that she had served as a freelance operative until her arrest.

"If a software scientist for Hamas can be a target, our prime minister is more of a risk. We can have more software experts, but Malaysia has only one prime minister.

"So I am convinced that there is a threat either to his life, to our economy or others,” he was quoted saying, referring to Anwar.

Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had been threatened by certain European parliamentarians after speaking up for Palestinian rights in the Middle East.

Yesterday, Anwar alleged that the United States had exerted pressure on Malaysia, with its Department of State calling up the country's ambassador in Washington and its embassy here calling on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the matter.

Islamist party PAS had previously labelled claims made by Anwar that he had been threatened by certain European parliamentarians after speaking up for Palestinian rights in the Middle East as "strange” and "laughable”.