Malaysia's anti-corruption chief calls it ‘unfair' to blame agency for witness abduction
Malaysia 's anti-graft agency has denied allegations that it was harassing abducted witness Pamela Ling with a lengthy investigation and urged the public to end speculation over her whereabouts after she was taken from a Grab car more than three weeks ago.
Advertisement
Ling, a Malaysian national and estranged wife of a businessman implicated in a money-laundering case, was snatched by individuals wearing police uniforms from a ride-hailing vehicle in Kuala Lumpur on April 9. She has not been seen since.
Her disappearance – which was only made public after more than 20 days – has prompted outrage and revived scrutiny of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Amid growing calls for accountability, MACC chief Azam Baki on Wednesday pushed back against allegations that the commission failed to protect Ling as a cooperating witness, saying it was 'unfair' to blame the agency.
'The public needs to stop speculating on this case and allow the police space and time to investigate it thoroughly,' Azam said.
MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki. Photo: Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission
The commission outlined its investigation into Ling and her husband, Sarawak-based businessman Thomas Hah, including a chronology of events leading up to her abduction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Philippine Senate delays Sara Duterte impeachment trial for constitutional review
Philippine senators on Tuesday voted to send an impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte back to the lower house for clarification, just hours after convening a trial that could see her banned from politics for life. Advertisement After a series of debates among members that included a motion presented by a Duterte ally to dismiss the case, the Senators voted in favour of returning it to the lower house to certify that the complaint was constitutional. The lower house in February voted to impeach the vice president for alleged high crimes and betrayal of the public trust, allegations she has vehemently denied. A majority of the senators on Tuesday approved a motion to return the case to confirm the complaint did not violate the constitution and the next session of Congress was 'willing and ready' to pursue the impeachment complaint following midterm elections in May. The decision could be a stay of execution for Duterte, a likely contender to be the next president, in a trial that could be a pivotal moment in Philippine politics. The outcome of the trial could not only make or break Duterte, but also carries big implications for President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his agenda for the remaining three years of his presidency and beyond. The impeachment accusations against Duterte range from budget anomalies to amassing unusual wealth and threatening the lives of Marcos, his wife, and the house speaker. Philippine senators are seated after taking their oath as jurors in the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte, in Manila on Tuesday. Photo: AFP She rejects the allegations and on Tuesday, her office said the impeachment process had been weaponised.
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Thailand's Pattaya deploys AI drones as cries grow to tackle crime in tourist hotspot
A city in Thailand plans to deploy AI-powered police drones to hunt down criminals and visa overstayers amid growing concerns over public safety. Authorities in Pattaya want to link the drones to a centralised AI database so they can scan faces in crowds and pick out individuals with outstanding arrest warrants or expired visas, according to local media outlet The Thaiger. The drones will be used during large-scale local events and in tourist hotspots to monitor activities and respond to suspicious behaviour in real time. Pattaya Mayor Poramese Ngampichet discussed the plan on Monday during a meeting with Police Lieutenant Colonel Torlap Tinamat, chief of the city's tourist police. Pattaya, a city about 150km (93 miles) southeast of the Thai capital of Bangkok, is a popular tourist destination. 'This initiative will boost Pattaya's image as a safe and welcoming place for visitors and locals,' Poramese said.
South China Morning Post
15 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia jails Chinese national over car crash that killed Sabah court official
A Chinese national has been sentenced to five years' jail for causing the death of Sabah State Courts director Marutin Pagan, 56, in an accident in Malaysia. Sessions Court Judge Rosli Ahmad ordered on Tuesday that Sun Xue Song, 42, was to serve the prison term from March 30, the date of his arrest. Sun was also fined 20,000 ringgit (US$4,721) in default of three months' jail and disqualified from holding a driving licence for five years from April 7, the date he was charged. Sun had initially entered a not guilty plea when the charge was first read to him by a court interpreter before Magistrate Romario Jonoi. On May 16, he changed his plea to guilty during pre-trial case management before Magistrate Oon Kork Chern. Oon then recused himself from hearing the case further because of his acquaintance with the victim, and it was then scheduled for reassignment before Rosli. According to the facts of the case, the engineer was accused of driving a sports utility vehicle dangerously, causing Marutin's death at the Kanowit roundabout near Sibu in Sarawak state at around 1pm on March 30.
