‘Israeli agent claim not true’
Ministry: Engineer only set up server system in Bukit Aman
THE Home Ministry has denied allegations that Israeli agents previously infiltrated Bukit Aman’s communication and server system, Parliament heard.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said the ministry appointed a company based in Singapore to maintain and train its staff for a system managed by the police in 2012.
“The engineer is an Israeli national, and an expert in the system.
“He is not an agent as alleged but an engineering expert sent by the company to install the system.
“And of course, we had our representatives once the set-up was done,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PAS-Pengkalan Chepa) during Question Time.
Ahmad Marzuk had asked the ministry to explain allegations made by Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had claimed that Israeli agents infiltrated Bukit Aman’s system while upgrading a communication system owned by the police when he was opposition MP.
To an initial question, he said Malaysia does not recognise Israel as a country, and travel from or to Israel is not permitted.
“The only permission given for entrance is when Israel participates in a conference organised by international bodies,” he said.
Based on the ministry’s records, a total of 105 Israeli nationals were allowed to enter Malaysia between 2016 until March this year, he said.
“In 2016, a total of 33 Israeli nationals were given permission to enter for business purposes under multinational companies to attend meetings and train local workers in microchip engineering.
“In 2017, a total of 35 Israeli nationals were allowed to enter Malaysia for business dealings of MNCs while 17 were given the green light to attend international conferences, meetings and programmes.
“Last year, a total of 34 Israeli nationals were allowed in for business purposes and an international conference.
“This year, only three Israeli nationals have been allowed to enter for business, and no permission has been given for any Israeli to attend conferences or programmes.
“This is in line with the new policy of the government not to allow representatives from Israel to enter Malaysia to attend conferences, meetings or programmes organised by international bodies,” said Mohd Azis.
For religious visits to Jerusalem, the Home Ministry approved a total of 7,870 Malaysians to visit Jerusalem from 2016 until this year, he added.
“From the total, 2,000 were approved in 2016, 2,186 in 2017, 3,183 in 2018 and 501 people this year based on our record as of March this year,” he explained.