Pamela Ling Case: Police Recorded Statements Of 48 Witnesses - Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Police have summoned 48 witnesses, including four officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), to record their statements to assist in the investigation into the disappearance of Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said close cooperation was also being carried out with enforcement agencies, including the MACC, to ensure that the investigation could be carried out comprehensively.

"Cooperation was made with related agencies, including the Immigration Department. For example, the vehicle that was allegedly used (to kidnap Pamela in Putrajaya when she was on her way to an appointment at MACC headquarters on April 9) was found north of the Bukit Kayu Hitam-Thailand border.

"This is only a belief, not an affirmative (confirmation)," he said during his winding-up speech on the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) debate for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He also stressed that police will investigate every report of a kidnapping or missing persons case according to the standard operating procedures (SOP) in accordance with the law.

He said that according to police data and records, in every 10 missing persons cases, nine were successfully found, including those who were alive and those who had died.

“Specifically, this missing person incident, in terms of data, does not give an impression that the level (of public safety) is worrying. But we cannot adopt a denial syndrome attitude because if it involves lives, it is crucial from the perspective of the police, and we will use all our resources to overcome it,” he said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the issue of national border security, Saifuddin Nasution said the authorities had detected 71 illegal routes for smuggling activities along the border of Sarawak, Malaysia with Kalimantan Indonesia, including hot spots in Ba’kelalan, Lubuk Antu and Tebedu.

The government, he said, had approved an allocation of RM28 million to the Home Ministry (KDN) to develop seven additional security control posts, including Pos Raso 1 in Lundu, Pos Sapit in Padawan and Pos Tepoi in Serian.

"The government has also approved an additional allocation of RM64.318 million under the special fund for development on the Sarawak border, which will be utilised by the Sarawak Brigade General Operations Force (GOF), for the implementation of 22 projects involving 14 non-physical projects and eight physical projects," he said.

Additionally, to strengthen border control in Sarawak, he also said that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has established Battalion 23 in Seri Aman, as another battalion under the Sarawak Brigade GOF, adding on to the existing three battalions.

He added that this involves the addition of 320 personnel consisting of senior police officers, junior officers and civil servants.

-- BERNAMA