KUALA LUMPUR – Sabah Police will record the statement of former Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi, regarding his allegations that the Lahad Datu intrusion by Sulu terrorists in 2013 was a farce, very soon.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Huzir Mohamed said a team under the Sabah CID had been formed for that purpose.
“We will call him up soon and take his statement regarding the matter in Sabah and we won’t call him to come to Bukit Aman.
“He has also agreed to have his statement taken regarding the allegations he made,” he told a press conference in Bukit Aman here today.
Previously, Mohamaddin had said during a speech that the Lahad Datu incident, which cost the lives of 10 security personnel, was a sham. The speech was caught on video and the one-minute and nine-second footage has since gone viral on social media.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said in a statement that the accusation was an insult to the security forces, especially to the families of the 10 members of the Malaysian security forces killed in the tragedy.
Chief of Defence Force Jen Tan Sri Affendi Buang also said that Mohamaddin’s statement belittled the role and responsibility of the armed forces.
Meanwhile, Huzir said police were updating their investigation papers on Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali over his failure to comply with mandatory home quarantine after returning from Turkey in July.
Huzir said the investigation papers would be updated based on the directives given by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“We will re-send the investigation papers once they’ve been updated,” he said.
In another development, Huzir said police have reclassified the death of a family of three in a fire at Pangkalan Nelayan Sungai Tepa in Pulau Langkawi, Kedah last year from sudden death to murder.
He said the reclassification was based on investigations by the fire and rescue team, who found there were criminal elements involved in the case.
“The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code. The case is still under investigation and no arrests have been made as of now,” he said.
In the April 1, 2019 incident, Mohd Nahar Shuhaimi, 39, his wife Noor Suhaila Hamat, 41, and their youngest son, Muhammad Nawfal, who was six years old, died in the fire which razed their house.
— BERNAMA
