Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar pointed out that Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch) chairperson R Sri Sanjeevan was his acquaintance as well at one point…..Khalid said this in response to his earlier admission of knowing the main suspect detained in connection with a police protection racket in Malacca.
He was commenting on a Sarawak Report article which claimed that the suspect K Gopinathan was in direct telephone contact with Khalid.
The police chief went on to explain that when he attended meetings or functions, he meets numerous people, some of whom express interest in wanting to help the police fight crime.
“So we exchange numbers and keep in touch. In some cases, these people have an ulterior motive and misuse my name for personal gratification.
“As and unless, it can be proven that I had benefited, be it in the form of money or otherwise, from the illegal activities perpetrated by these individuals, then there is nothing left to say.
“Yes, there is the issue of perception. But perception is not tantamount to guilt. Let’s see if the investigators can pin anything on me,” he added.
IGP Khalid must resemble Donald Trump to work for – and not only because he thinks he is an autocrat.
It is because the IGP can always be relied upon to open his mouth and not necessesarily in his own favour. At a press conference last week the IGP acknowledged that the alleged police protection racketeer known as Gopi was his “family friend”. Not only he, but his son and his brother in law had received calls from Gopi in recent weeks (several in the case of his son).
Also to receive several calls were a number of the IGP’s most senior vice squad colleagues, as Sarawak Report detailed in a subsequent article.
Now, the IGP is changing his story. It seems Gopi may have just been someone he met at a party and handed his number to! A passing acquaintance… he can’t quite remember.
“Let’s see if they can pin anything on me” the IGP concluded, using the classic words of a gangster instead of a cop!
Any lawyers out there who fancy the chance to represent this garralous chap?