RCI told money was paid to secure freedom

PUTRAJAYA: The Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the discovery of temporary transit camps and mass graves in Wang Kelian, Perlis, was told that foreigners deposited money into the bank accounts of Malaysian citizens as a condition to release their family members.

Insp Mohd Suffian Abdul Rashid, who was previously an investigating officer at the AntiMoney Laundering Unit of the Crime Investigation Division, Bukit Aman, said the two Malaysians who accepted money were Ku Hamid Ku Musa and Arifin Abdullah Ali.

The 33rd witness said investigations found that a Myanmar national deposited RM4,000 into Ku Hamid’s account on Oct 2, 2014, to release his nephew from the Wang Kelian camp while another Rohingya deposited RM5,800 into Arifin’s account to free his uncle held in a detention camp in Thailand.

Insp Mohd Suffian said investigations into Ku Hamid, who was a Malaysian citizen born in Myanmar and worked as a labourer, found that he had more than RM19,000 in his bank account, as well as cashier’s cheques amounting to RM21,000.

He said Ku Hamid told him he had given his ATM card to a Thai national named Kaw, but police did not manage to track down that person.

Insp Mohd Suffian said money and properties belonging to Ku Hamid and Arifin, including their vehicles, were forfeited under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, AntiTerrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

After Insp Mohd Suffian’s testimony, the RCI was conducted behind closed doors. Two members of the public and the first witness, Kpl Mat Ten of the General Operations Force Third Battalion in Bedong, Kedah, were called.

The RCI will resume on May 27. — Bernama