IGP warns Malaysiakini over ‘inaccurate’ reports

IGP says he intends to question the editor of Malaysiakini over “inaccurate” reports concerning alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua.

PUTRAJAYA: The Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar has issued a public warning to online news portal, Malaysiakini, against pitting Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against the Police Department.

“I will not allow it (to continue),” he warned.

“I intend to call in the Malaysiakini editor over this, said Khalid. “The online news portal continues to raise the issue of the letter which Zahid sent to the FBI (on alleged felon Paul Phua) and print inaccurate news.”

“It’s important to report accurately,” he added.

Malaysiakini recently reported, quoting police sources, that Phua was once held in Miri, Sarawak, on gambling charges in connection with the Euro Cup 2004.

The sources apparently told the online news portal that Phua paid the fine and left the country, and was subsequently denied entry into the country during the 2008 World Cup.

On a separate issue, the IGP confirmed that he was awaiting an official report from his Philippines counterparts on most wanted terrorist Zulkifli Khir @ Marwan who was reportedly shot dead during an incident in the southern Philippines recently.

Marwan, formerly with the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) in Indonesia, had apparently been seeking shelter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom front (BIFF).

“We can’t confirm anything until we get the official report,” said Khalid on the sidelines of a function at Mariott Hotel in Putrajaya.

“The official report will lay to rest speculation that Marwan’s fingers and body parts were chopped away by the terrorists themselves.”

As the most wanted terrorist in Southeast Asia, the US Government had placed a US$5 million bounty on Marwan’s head.