The state government has clarified that the two simultaneous political events scheduled for separate sites in Penang Thursday do not require police permits.

Ng Wei Aik, the political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, said the events are in the clear because they are being held on state government premises - at the Pesta Site and Seberang Jaya expo site.

NONEFor the event themed "The Penang State Government Communication Evening", several speakers have been invited to cover a variety of issues, said Ng (right).

"As it is an official state government function, the police should respect that by providing protection to the participants," said the Komtar assemblyperson.

Ng was referring to a statement by Penang Police Chief Ayub Yaakob, who told the media yesterday that permits would not be issued to the organisers of the two ceramah planned for Thursday.

Ayub said the force has yet to receive any application for the events deemed "illegal" by the police.

Speakers include Bersih chief Ambiga Sreenevasan, Lim, newly elected PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar.

Across the country, police have cracked down on Bersih campaigners, nabbing more than 80 people ahead of the mammoth July 9 rally in Kuala Lumpur that aims to submit an eight-point memorandum to the king.

Ng said if the federal government is sincere about reforming the nation, the prime minister will allow the demonstration to proceed without interruptions from police.

The police, he added, should fulfill their professional duties as crime fighters so as not to be seen as "weapons" of Putrajaya.

Ng encouraged people to attend the state government-sanctioned events.

"The Penang state government requests that the Royal Malaysian Police would provide protection for the attendees of the event should any provocateurs try to incite racial or religious hatred," he added.