The inspector-general of police (IGP) and his force have been urged to reconsider their stand to absolve themselves of any responsibility from anything that may happen to PKR vice-president N Surendran when he takes part in a police operation against dangerous criminals.

Surendran's legal adviser and PKR colleague R Sivarasa said in a statement today that absolving themselves from any responsibility, as per the indemnity letter offered to Surendran, would represent "bad faith" on the part of the police as the IGP himself invited Surendran to join in a police operation.

NONESurendran had on Wednesday collected his bulletproof vest at the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters but is yet to sign the indemnity letter because of two provisions that Sivarasa (right) has called on the police to re-consider.

"The condition that PDRM will not take responsibility at all is not reasonable. The invitation to join the operation was made by the IGP, and Surendran had immediately agreed to it.

"Having invited Surendran, surely the police cannot now say that they will take no responsibility for his safety," Sivarasa said.

He said such a move was tantamount to "bad faith" on the part of the police.

Is Surendran a 'participant' or 'observer'

The other part of the indemnity letter that Sivarasa is asking to be reconsidered is a condition that Surendran can make no legal claims against the government, police, the IGP or any other police officer involved in the operation should any incident occur during the operation.

Sivarasa said the police also needed to clarify whether Surendran was going into the operation as a "participant" or an "observer".

"The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has insisted that the requested indemnity describes Surendran as a 'participant' whilst the IGP is using the word 'observer'," Sivarasa said.

"In our view, 'observer' is appropriate," he added.

Sivarasa said he has written to the police and the IGP to reconsider the terms of the indemnity letter, while insisting that Surendran "remains ready" to take part in an coming police operations "at short notice".