No probe into where RM12m went
Published on: Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: No enquiry or investigation will be conducted on the RM12 million "donations" collected to free the four Sarawakians abducted by Abu Sayyaf militants.Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar (pic) said this was because he "knew where the money went" and that the police force was not in any way involved in the handling of the money. This was despite the hostages' family claiming that they handed the money to two Special Branch officers. "Why must we open an enquiry about it? I already explained what happened to the money."There is no reason for us to conduct any enquiry as we were not involved," Khalid told a press conference at the Bukit Aman police headquarters, here.
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Asked if he believed any other agencies should do so (probe into the matter), Khalid said, "I don't know, but police will not investigate it because we know where the money went. "I have already explained it and I don't need to repeat what I said," he said.Last Friday, in denying that the police's Special Branch had received the money, Khalid was reported as saying "I do not know…I do not want to know", when asked about the actual recipients of the money."I do not know about the money, where it is channelled to. I think the family knows. Where the money went to, who received the money, the family knows," the Malay Mail Online had quoted him as saying.During the same press conference, Khalid had also said the funds were handed to a "third party" which negotiated the release of the hostages.
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This, too, contradicted the remark made by his boss, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, that the money was channelled to welfare agencies in the Philippines.In MANILA, Abu Sayyaf militants are reported to be angry that some of the money collected from families and friends of the four Malaysian sailors they abducted did not reach them.
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They are said to be upset because although those handling the ransom money had raised P130 million (RM12 million), only P100 million (RM8.8m) was given to the kidnappers.It was reported that the missing amount raised suspicion that the rebels might be in cahoots with government officials from Malaysia and the Philippines who may have shared the money among themselves.The report, quoting "two highly placed senior Philippine government officials", said the payment was confirmed by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.He said the money was channelled to several legal non-governmental organisations in the Philippines. He said the money was not paid as ransom. However, Malaysian police later denied being involved in any ransom payment.Subsequent to the payment, brothers Wong Teck Kang, 31, and Teck Chii, 29; their cousin Johnny, 21; and co-worker Wong Hung Sing, 34 were released. The four, crew of a tugboat, were abducted off Sabah on April 1 by a group of armed men on a speedboat. They were released in Jolo, Sulu, on June 7 after long-drawn negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf militants led by sub-commander Apo Mike."We got information that the Abu Sayyaf group was incensed after learning from news reports that the money was actually RM12 million, equivalent to P130 million but that only P100 million reached them," one of the senior officials, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, told The Manila Times. "The question is, where did the missing money go?" the source asked.The report said there were rumours that the money went through the Special Branch of the Malaysian police who passed it to local officials in Sulu before it reached the Abu Sayyaf group."From what we gathered, a local government official in Sulu was involved in the negotiations. It is common knowledge in Malaysia that usually P30 million is paid as ransom for any number of Malaysian victims in the past. The P130 million by far is the highest," the report quoted another source as saying.According to a source, there is credence to allegations by Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin that some local officials, probably including the military, may have colluded with the Abu Sayyaf group which recently beheaded Canadian Robert Hall.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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