Johari Baharum Denies Having Accepted Bribe

haiya datuk, pasal apa tunduk saja, look into the eyes la datuk.


JITRA, March 4 (Bernama) -- Deputy Minister of Internal Security Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum today referred to an allegation of a senior politician having been bribed to release suspects detained under the Emergency Ordinance and said it was apparently directed at him, but denied having accepted RM5.5 million to release three suspected criminals.
He also said that he was prepared to be subjected to an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), which is said to have begun a probe into the matter.
"The allegation, on a web site and in a newspaper report today, is apparently directed at me but it has been made without basis and proof," he said.
Johari told reporters he has received many Short Messaging Service (SMS) on all kinds of accusations as well as through the web site directed at many politicians, and added that it was unfair to accept these baseless allegations as the truth.
ACA Director of Investigations Mohd Shukri Abdul was reported as saying that the agency had identified the senior politician referred to and also the witnesses allegedly involved.
The suspected criminals are alleged to have been involved in gangsterism, gambling, prostitution and illegal money-lending.
Mohd Johari had earlier opened the new office building of Koperasi Serbaguna Kaum Ibu Kubang Pasu Berhad in Kampung Lubuk Batu near here.
He said there have been cases of inaction against the identifiable senders of SMS making baseless allegations although these have made many leaders the subject of criticism of the opposition parties.
"I had directed the police to be proactive and not just act swiftly only in cases involving the police," he said.
He said the police could investigate the allegations and take appropriate action to stem the practice as it had gone on for a long time.
Mohd Johari said that since becoming deputy minister of internal security, he had looked at hundreds of cases under the Emergency Ordinance.
"I need to evaluate all cases carefully based on the police reports. If there is strong evidence and I am satisfied, I will support the action to be taken, otherwise the suspect will be released," he said.
He said the evaluation involved calling independent witnesses to give evidence and the decision taken was not at all influenced by appeals from various quarters.
The decision he made was fair, on the advice of the officers and lawyers of the ministry, he added.
"No one will be accused indiscriminately because we do not want to abuse the Emergency Ordinance to oppress anybody," he said.
He said that last February alone, the ministry's Advisory Board had released 31 out of the 48 people whom he had decided be sent to the Simpang Renggam Detention Centre in Johor.
This happened because the police had not conducted the investigation properly and there was insufficient evidence to detain them, he said.
He also said that of late the police had also not adhered to the standard operating procedure (SOP) in conducting their investigation.
According to the SOP, the police have to send him the file on a case at least 45 days earlier and he would have 15 days to decide whether to detain or release the suspect.
"There are cases referred to me with only three, five and six days for me to make a decision, and this is not fair to the suspect. Some files are sent in after only five or six days of investigation and, owing to this, there are files sent back to the police to complete the investigation, and this includes high profile cases," he said.
He said the Emergency Ordinance was only used as the last resort to assist the police to detain and investigate in cases without solid evidence to prosecute someone or eradicate crime.

tunku : this is another example of hp6 deputy minister.he has the power to release the suspects if he THINKS there is not enough evidence or he's not satisfied.so you can guess yourself now.how to believe this johari fellow when he played out his former boss Tun Mahathir at kubang pasu G7 election, how he and mahadir khalud arranged a secret meeting with the delegation a night before to persuade them not to elect Tun with kopi o money of RM200. just imagine with rm200 people can sell off their dignity/pride.