The Star Malaysia

Police: Musa says he will be back

‘We will wait for him to come forward and not seek help from Interpol’

- By FATIMAH ZAINAL fatimah@thestar.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Musa Aman, who is said to resemble a man seen in viral photos at St Pancras Internatio­nal railway station in London, has told police that he will come back to give his statement.

Sabah Police Commission­er Datuk Ramli Din said the police were aware of the footage but would wait for Musa, who disappeare­d from public view, to come forward.

When asked if the police would be getting help from Interpol to get to Musa, Comm Ramli said: “No, no, no, it’s not that serious, man.”

Comm Ramli said the police just wanted Musa over investigat­ions into an alleged criminal intimidati­on report lodged against the former chief minister by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

Without revealing Musa’s location, Comm Ramli also said the police was in contact with Musa.

Comm Ramli added that Musa had not been in Sabah since May 14.

“Right now, we just need to record his statement. We can wait,” he told reporters at the Kaamatan festival’s closing ceremony at the Hongkod Koisaan (Unity Hall) at the Kadazandus­un Cultural Associatio­n in Penampang near here yesterday.

The viral photos and brief video of a man resembling Musa was posted yesterday by Facebook user Az Eem, who told The Star that he was definitely sure that it was the former chief minister.

“All I know was that he was walking towards the exit of St Pancras station,” he said, adding that Musa was with a man, a woman and two children.

“I followed for a bit but kept my distance before I left,” he said, adding that he did not try to approach Musa to talk to him.

In the footage, the person was dressed in a red jacket and a cap and was standing with a loaded luggage trolley and a young child at the railway station.

Some of Musa’s aides however said that it could be an old video and photos.

Musa is also being sought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over a graft probe.

He is widely believed to have fled to London without using proper legal channels.

He has made statements via his lawyers on several occasions, his latest made on May 26 to convey a message that the MACC was free to search his house.

MACC sources indicated that Musa left the country before it could apply for him to be blackliste­d from travelling.

The Immigratio­n Department did not have any record of Musa leav- ing the country. No arrest warrant has been put out either.

The police report by Juhar surfaced after two political leaders were sworn in at Istana Negeri as the chief minister within 48 hours.

The police investigat­ion is likely to give a clearer picture on what happened at Istana Negeri on the night of May 10 amid heavy political horse-trading.

Musa was sworn in before the Governor during an apparently delayed ceremony at 11.10pm on May 10, but lost his majority support among the state assemblyme­n 12 hours later when six of them defected.

Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, whose party and its allies secured a majority with 35 of the 60 state seats, was sworn in at 9.15pm on May 12.

Musa, who was informed by the Governor that he was no longer chief minister effective May 12, is seeking a court declaratio­n to nullify Shafie’s appointmen­t.

 ??  ?? Is this Musa?: The photos of a man resembling Musa in London that have gone viral.
Is this Musa?: The photos of a man resembling Musa in London that have gone viral.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malaysia