CYBERJAYA, May 2 — Police are obligated to support the government of the day, according to the Kuala Lumpur & Federal Territories Retired Police Officers Association.

Its chairman, Ahmad Awang, said this when expressing disappointment at two Opposition party candidates and an independent who used his group as a platform to reach out to former police personnel.

"This has led to the misleading impression that the association fully supports them. I can say for certain that it is not the case, and hope the rest of our members will be aware of this,” he said.

He was referring to PPBM’s Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, who is contesting the Kuala Nerang state seat in Kedah, and Syed Fadzil Syed Embun, who is running for the Selat Kelang seat in Johor, along with Datuk VM Panjamothy, who is vying as an Independent in the Batu federal seat.

All three are former policemen.

"They (the candidates) can do as they wish when campaigning as it is their right, but do not use the association’s name. Legally, we must support the Malaysian government,” he told reporters during a press conference today.

Ahmad said he will recommend for the association’s leadership to take action against the three, once the general election is over.

He also told members to vote with their conscience, and not to feel obliged to support any particular candidate or party.

Ahmad gave the impromptu press conference after attending an event by the Coalition of Traditional Malay Medicine Practitioner Associations, which pledged its support to Barisan Nasional (BN) and its chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Coalition president Adzhar Latif said its over 30,000 members were firmly behind BN and Najib, for the support that led to the branch of medicine being recognised by the Health Ministry.

"Among the things which he did was to bring about the Traditional and Complementary. Medicine Act 2016, which recognised the different fields of Malay, Chinese and Indian traditional medicine as well as prevent it from being misused by unqualified individuals,” he said.