Muhyiddin: No need for new SOP for ministry sponsorship schemes
SEMENYIH: Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said there is no need for a new standard operation procedure involving sponsorship programmes for agencies under his ministry.
In addressing the controversy over the recent trip to Istanbul, Turkey, by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun and 16 high-ranking police officers, Muhyiddin said he was the one who approved it.
“Any persons or agencies (under the ministry) who want to go overseas must get clearance either from the ministry’s secretary-general or the minister.
“As for this case, the letter written by the inspector-general of police over the trip was sent to me.
“Once I received the letter, I had to make sure that there was no conflict of interest in the sense that the party sponsoring the trip is not involved in illegal gambling.
“The letter was submitted with the indication that the trip would be sponsored by Malaysia Totalisator Board,” said Muhyiddin, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president.
He said the ministry had yet to decide whether it would provide protection for Court of Appeal judge Datuk Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer over his expose of alleged judicial misconduct.
“We have not yet reached that point.
“There is a need for the report to be filed by him (Hamid), which will enable police, the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission and other agencies to pursue the case.
“From there, we will see how important and serious the case is and whether it is necessary to provide him protection.
“I don’t think I can answer that question,” said Muhyiddin.
In a 63-paged affidavit, Hamid revealed information in relation to incidences of alleged judicial interference in the judiciary, including an allegation of judicial interference in the late Karpal Singh’s sedition appeal decision at the Court of Appeal.