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Groups urge Perak police to probe clip allegedly of exco’s aide seeking to close graft probe

Members of six non-governmental organisations are seen gathering outside the Ipoh district police headquarters August 26, 2019. — Pictures by Farhan Najib
Members of six non-governmental organisations are seen gathering outside the Ipoh district police headquarters August 26, 2019. — Pictures by Farhan Najib

IPOH, Aug 26 — Police must investigate an audio recording purportedly of a state official’s aide propositioning authorities to close their investigation against his employer, six non-governmental organisations (NGO) said today.

Pertubuhan Rangkaian Organisasi (PRO) 98 Reformis Perak secretary Sazali Samsudin, who represented the groups, said they learned of the clip allegedly being distributed among the public through a news report.

“We urge the police to investigate this matter immediately and professionally as it will only affect the integrity of the police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),” he told reporters when met opposite the Ipoh district police headquarters here.

Earlier, Sazali filed a report on the matter while the other NGOs made similar complaints on Saturday at various police districts including in Taiping, Bukit Gantang, Larut Matang and Kampar.

The other NGO’s were Pertubuhan Komuniti Sejahtera Aman Perak, Pertubuhan Prihatin Perak, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Nur Kasih Taiping, Persatuan Integrasi dan Kebajikan Kinta Perak, and Pertubuhan Ikatan Komuniti Dearah Larut Matang dan Selama.

The clip is purportedly of Perak executive committee member Ahmad Yunus Jamhari’s assistant negotiating a settlement of the corruption investigation against the former.

Sazali said that they filed their reports based on a Malaysiakini article published on August 15 with the title “Perak exco deny audio trying to settle with the police, MACC”.

Pertubuhan Rangkaian Organisasi (PRO) 98 Reformis Perak secretary Sazali Samsudin speaks to the press outside the Ipoh district police headquarters  August 26, 2019.
Pertubuhan Rangkaian Organisasi (PRO) 98 Reformis Perak secretary Sazali Samsudin speaks to the press outside the Ipoh district police headquarters August 26, 2019.

Citing the article, he said that the person recorded claimed to have “kautim (settled)” the case with the MACC while speaking to a policeman.

In the same news report, however, Ahmad Yunus denied the claim and described the recording as fake.

Asked if he has heard the clip, Sazali said he no and was basing his complaint entirely on the news report.

He then urged Ahmad Yunus’s aide to publicly respond to the allegation and asked Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to put the exco on garden leave pending the investigation.

Last month, Parit Buntar PKR committee member Beh Yong Kean lodged police report accusing Ahmad Yunus of leaking classified minutes of the state exco meeting in order to solicit commission from two agricultural companies in relation to their land applications.

On Friday, it was reported that Perak Police Chief Datuk Razarudin Husain has referred the investigation paper on Ahmad Yunus case to the state public prosecutor director last week for the next course of action.

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