Sarawak GOF seizes RM1.6m smuggled goods, detains nine in Op Taring
Nine individuals, including an Indonesian national, were detained in the crackdown codenamed Operation Taring.
The operation, conducted from July 7 to 11, involved coordinated efforts between intelligence and infantry units from the 10th and 11th PGA Battalions. Among the confiscated items were frozen food, diesel, and unapproved medicines.
In Bau on July 7, a 40-year-old local man was arrested after 350 boxes of frozen food without a valid permit were found in his lorry, valued at RM209,600.
The following day in Sibu, two men—a local and an Indonesian—were detained, with authorities seizing 238kg of frozen food, a forklift, and a vehicle worth RM479,099.
On July 9, a 34-year-old man in Lundu was caught transporting 230 litres of diesel without a permit, leading to the seizure of fuel and jerrycans worth RM81,155.50.
The same day in Kota Samarahan, two men were arrested with 18,000 litres of diesel, 17 IBC tanks, and a tanker lorry valued at RM218,840.
A raid in Kuching on July 10 uncovered 4,500 litres of diesel, storage tanks, and equipment worth RM381,060, resulting in the arrest of two men. - Bernama
The final arrest occurred in Bau on July 11, where a 62-year-old was caught with 4,032 boxes of unapproved medicines and herbs in his vehicle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
8 minutes ago
- The Star
Hong Kong prosecutors drop charge against Indonesian tourist in tumbler case
Hong Kong prosecutors have dropped a criminal charge against an Indonesian tourist whose tumbler fell out of his backpack and hit another visitor at The Peak last month. Merchant Satnauli Bangun, 44, was initially prosecuted for allegedly allowing an object to fall from a height when he visited The Peak Tower on July 2.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Prabowo reconciles with opposition through pardons
JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto has taken a major stride to reconcile with two convicted opposition figures by granting them clemency and eliminating their prison sentences, a move widely seen as an effort to curb dissent and stabilise his first term in office. In an unexpected move, Prabowo submitted a request with the House of Representatives requesting abolition for former trade minister Thomas Lembong as well as amnesty for 1,116 convicts, including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary-general Hasto Kritiyanto. Thomas was sentenced for 4.5 years in prison after the court found him guilty in a corruption case pertaining to raw sugar import. Meanwhile, the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced Hasto last week to 3.5 years in prison over bribery pertaining to a 2019 legislative seat appointment scheme. House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas, both from Prabowo's Gerindra Party, announced on Thursday (July 31) night that the legislature approved the proposal following consultations between the government and House party factions. Supratman confirmed that he initiated both clemency requests, citing 'national interest, political unity and the individuals' past contributions' to the country. 'This is about thinking in terms of the republic. Both individuals have demonstrated service to the nation, and the priority now is to strengthen our cohesion,' he told reporters during the briefing at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. Deputy State Secretary Juri Ardiantoro reiterated national unity as the motivation behind the decision: 'If we want to move forward, it must be together through mutual cooperation.' He dismissed notions that Prabowo was seeking to interfere with the legal process, stressing that all Indonesian citizens are entitled to equal treatment under the law. Analysts called Prabowo's clemency for Thomas and Hasto a politicization of the justice system, warning that the decision risks eroding judicial independence and weakening Indonesia's anticorruption efforts. Constitutional law expert Bivitri Susanti slammed the move as a form of 'legal politicisation' with legal matters being settled through political means. She warned that such actions could undermine the rule of law. 'It may appear to solve problems for [Thomas and Hasto] as well as their supporters. But this is still political interference. It could create a dangerous precedent for antigraft efforts,' Bivitri said. She added that normal legal avenues, including appealing the court verdict, were still available, as legal teams of both convicts indicated that they had planned to file a petition with the appellate court. Lawyers of both convicts welcomed Prabowo's decision to give their clients pardons. Hasto's legal representative Ronny Talapessy insisted that the case was 'politically charged since the beginning', while Thomas' legal team said that the abolition should not be seen as 'acknowledging wrongdoing'. Both Thomas and Hasto's camps claimed both cases were politically motivated and driven by their criticism toward former president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, who tacitly backed Prabowo in last year's election. Thomas served as a co-captain of failed presidential candidate Anies Baswedan's campaign in the 2024 election. Meanwhile, PDI-P, the only de facto opposition party in the legislature, has repeatedly said the probe into Hasto was an effort to target him for being critical to Jokowi, a former member of the nationalist party. With both convicts pardoned, analysts see the chance of a strong opposition emerging against Prabowo's administration growing slim, as an amnesty for Hasto may influence how PDI-P may decide its stance towards Prabowo's administration. Political analyst Kennedy Muslim from Indikator Politik said the move was 'part of Prabowo's natural inclination to build a giant coalition' to 'balance power among parties so that none become too dominant, except for the President himself.' 'It's a small price to pay compared to giving PDI-P a clear 'brand' as an opposition party for the next four years,' Kennedy said. 'They are poised to reap the political benefits should Prabowo's administration underperform.' Prabowo might also be trying to ease political friction and maintain stability as well as cooperation between the government and opposition-leaning forces, said Arya Fernandes of Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). An expected political reconciliation following the pardon suggests legal proceedings will be used as leverage in elite political negotiations, a trend which developed during Jokowi's administration and now persists under Prabowo, according to Ian Wilson, a senior fellow at the Indo-Pacific Research Centre at Murdoch University in Australia. 'It less sets a precedent than constitutes a continuation of the political weaponization of corruption charges seen in the previous administration,' Wilson told The Jakarta Post. He suggested the pardon had shifted the country's political landscape, pointing out PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri's call for members during a party event on Wednesday to back Prabowo's government for 'stability', despite the party having yet to take an official stance towards the administration. 'Pressure will now be on Anies to do something similar,' Wilson said, 'and abandon his opposition movement-building efforts such as through mass organisation.' Senior PDI-P politician Said Abdullah denied claims that the recent amnesty for Hasto was part of a political deal, stressing that such practices did not align with the party's principles. 'There was absolutely nothing transactional about it,' Said told reporters. 'Let's not jump to such conclusions. It's not in the character of our party, let alone Ibu Megawati.' - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Prabowo clears path for clemency
THE country is set to begin releasing hundreds of inmates from its notoriously overcrowded prisons after parliament approved the first stage of President Prabowo Subianto's (pic) wide-ranging clemency plan. The first group of 1,116 will begin leaving prisons next week and includes prominent rivals of previous president Joko Widodo who were jailed during his term, as well as Papuan independence activists. House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas made the announcement late Thursday after a consultation between the government and party factions in the legislature. Prabowo surprised the nation barely two months after he took office in October when he said he planned to grant clemency to 44,000 inmates nationwide. Past Indonesian leaders have rarely used their amnesty powers, which require the approval of parliament. Analysts have cautiously welcomed Prabowo's sweeping plan, which could see the release of thousands of inmates and Supratman said would prioritise political prisoners and inmates with mental and chronic health illnesses, older people, juveniles and those convicted of blasphemy or insulting the country's leader. Among the prisoners set to be released are several prominent opposition figures, including Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of the country's only formal opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. Kristiyanto, a former Joko ally who turned to harshly criticise the former president and his family, was sentenced last week to three-and-a-half years in prison for bribery in a 2019 legislative seat appointment scheme. Supratman said parliament also approved an end to criminal proceedings against former trade minister Tom Lembong, a onetime Joko ally who broke with him during the 2024 presidential election to support political rival Anies Baswedan. Tom was sentenced to more than four years and had been preparing to appeal before Prabowo proposed him for clemency. 'Both have demonstrated service to the nation, and our priority now is to strengthen the unity of the nation,' Supratman said. The group also includes six Papuan independence activists serving prison sentences for treason. Supratman said they were released as the government considers their movement unarmed. Authorities are expected to submit a second list of 1,668 inmates to parliament in the near future, he added. Azmi Syahputra, a state law analyst from Trisakti University, urged Prabowo to explain his decision in granting amnesty and abolition, especially for Tom and Hasto, who are high-profile politicians convicted in graft cases he said cannot be forgiven by the public. 'Amnesty and abolition are absolute powers held by the president, but people are owed an explanation,' Azmi said. 'Failure to fully explain the reasons will raise questions in the public sphere that could have widespread negative consequences if not addressed comprehensively.' The move could be interpreted by the public as a political agreement between the executive and legislative branches to relieve criminal liability rather than improve law enforcement, he said. 'This measure is used to free high-profile figures from a sentence currently being served for certain political interest,' Azmi added. A political analyst from Diponegoro University, Mohammad Rosyidin, viewed the clemency plan in the context of rights group's criticism of Prabowo, a former general with ties to the country's dictatorial past who is linked to alleged human rights abuses. 'President Prabowo's amnesty plan could be a step to dispel these perceptions and turn him as pro-democracy and a defender of human rights,' Mohammad said. Since taking office in October, Prabowo's administration has moved to repatriate several high-profile foreign inmates, all sentenced to death or life in prison for drug offenses, back to their home countries. Serge Atlaoui, an ailing Frenchman, returned to France in February after Jakarta and Paris agreed to repatriate him on 'humanitarian grounds'. Indonesia took Mary Jane Veloso, who was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in 2010, off death row and returned her to the Philippines in December. In the same month, the government sent to Australia the five remaining members of a drug ring known as the 'Bali Nine'. — AP
