Bet woman’ unmasked
Probe zeroes in on link to alleged match-fixing in Johor team
The mastermind behind the alleged match-fixing in the Johor football team may be a quiet, unassuming 31-year-old woman working within the state FA.
The woman has access to the players and is said to have a close link to bookies and, ironically, a policeman in the AntiVice and Gaming division.
Police homed in on her after she was said to have sent out the score of a football match even before kick-off.
KUALA LUMPUR: A quiet, unassuming woman working within the Johor Football Association may be the biggest link to alleged match-fixing involving the state football team.
The 31-year-old, who was arrested on Monday, is also believed to be closely connected to a police officer under the force’s Anti-vice and Gaming Division currently under probe.
Investigators are now zeroing in on whether any football player or state football association official is implicated in the scandal.
Police moved in on the woman following information that she could have known the score of a match involving the team before it started and sent this out to several people.
Authorities now hope to call in and record statements from those who allegedly received the prediction, and are trying to determine if money actually changed hands and, if so, how much.
Sources said police were investigating the case together with Malaysian Anti-corruption Commision officers, adding that the state police chief DCP Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Sheriff, was personally supervising the investigation.
“He wants all angles, including the possibility that an officer may be involved, probed,” they said.
When contacted, DCP Mohd Mokhtar confirmed that a woman had been detained for questioning.
“The police will not hesitate to take action against anyone including our own officers if they are found to be involved in any illegal activity,” he warned.
In a statement, Johor police headquarters said the woman would be remanded until March 23, adding that the case was being investigated under the malaysian anti-corruption Act.
They also confirmed that a Johor FA official had lodged a report on Sunday, claiming that an official in the state team was involved with a bookie as well as in match-fixing.
The Tengku Mahkota of Johor, who is also the Johor FA president, had reportedly said that match-fixing was taking place in the state, and this allegedly involved policemen.
Since then, the MACC has also announced that it is investigating the case.
In Johor Baru, state FA deputy president Md Jais Sarday vowed to cooperate with both the police and MACC to weed out the illegal activity, adding that it would not tolerate any wrongdoing.
He added that the tengku mahkota had expressed his disappointment with the recent allegations of matchfixing in the association.
Jais, who is also the state Youth and Sports Committee chairman, said the Tengku Mahkota wanted to “cleanse” the state FA and stamp out such activities.
“We welcome investigations from the police and MACC as the Tengku Mahkota is very serious in combating the menace. The Johor FA will not protect players and officials found to be involved,” he said.