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(NST) SHAH ALAM: Calling it a “high profile case”, police yesterday began investigations into allegations that a Selangor state executive councillor had been using his office for meetings with members of the underworld.
Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner II Datuk Hasnan Hassan confirmed that investigations had begun but declined to elaborate as Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had already commented on it. It is, however, learnt that police had contacted several journalists who had reported the allegations to have their statements recorded today. The allegations of the meetings between a state exco member and the underworld were made by Wangsa Maju member of parliament Wee Choo Keong in his blog in support of fellow Parti Keadilan Rakyat colleague Azmin Mohamed Ali’s call for a reshuffle of the state executive council. Wee had also said that his allegation was an “open secret” in the state’s administrative office. Following the allegation, Gani called for an immediate nvestigation as the allegations were serious. Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said he had not received any report on the allegations.
“If I do (get a report), I will investigate,” he said. Speaking to reporters at the end of the Selangor state assembly
meeting here yesterday, Khalid was sympathetic to the plight of his exco member in the centre of the controversy, Ronnie Liu. What Wee (Choo Keong) did was very personal. I sympathise with Ronnie,” he said. Liu was never named as the errant member but it has been inferred that he was the man referred to by Wee. Khalid said Wee could have raised the matter at the Pakatan Rakyat monthly meetings. Asked whether he had ever met any underworld figures, the menteri besar replied: “I hope not. I also don’t know. I
meet 50 to 60 people a day. I can’t ask them where they are from when I meet them.” Azmin, who is PKR vice-president and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, however, said Wee should be allowed to explain his allegations. He may have evidence,” he said, adding that he learnt of the allegations from newspaper reports. Liu, meanwhile, said having had some experience as a journalist, he was taught not to publish rumours. “Rumours can hurt and kill,” he said, declining further comment on the matter. Wee, in his latest blog posting said he did not mention the name of the exco member concerned or which political party he or she belonged to. Liu jumped at the statement inmy blog just like Teresa Kok jumped at Azmin’s speech calling for a reshuffle of the Selangor exco.” Wee expressed surprise that his posting had touched a raw nerve with Liu. “In any event, Liu should not be so agitated or angry over my statement because I did not identify him or his party. “Furthermore, Liu is not the only exco member,” he wrote in his blog, without providing names of the underworld members who had allegedly met the exco member. “I shall reveal the name of the exco member at the appropriate time,” he added. Wee also acknowledged that he did not visit the office of that particular exco member but it did not mean that he was totally unaware of what was happening there.
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