Khalid (centre) witnessing the hand-over of duties between Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim (left) and Datuk Hafiz Wong Abdullah, who has been appointed as Criminal Investigation Department (Narcotics) director-general, at Royal Malaysia Police College. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR: The hostage incident in Sydney is a lesson for Malaysia in facing such a possibility carried out by individuals or militant groups.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was commenting on international media reports of an incident in which several hostages were held by a man armed with a knife in a central Sydney cafe yesterday.
In the incident, flags with Arabic inscriptions were seen put up beside the cafe.
Khalid however, gave an assurance that the police were ready to face such threats like the one in Sydney.
“What happened in Sydney can be a lesson learned for our country…and we are ready to face such threats and actions,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after the opening of the Police Commissioners/ Police Chiefs/Commanders/Commandants 2/2014 Conference by Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Police College in Cheras near here yesterday.
At the ceremony, Ahmad Zahid renamed the police Logistics Department as Strategy and Technology Department.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid stressed that the police would not compromise with any Malaysians involved in violent activities in the country or abroad.
In another development, Khalid denied a local media report which alleged the police had deployed a ‘middleman’ to pay RM780,000 for the release of a fish breeder who was kidnapped by an Abu Sayyaf armed group.
“The report is completely untrue as the police did not negotiate with armed kidnappers.
“Do not listen to such stories, we have already said we did not make any payment at all…more so, the ‘middleman’ mentioned was completely unknown and we do not know of his origin.
I advise the people not to listen to stories from unverified sources,” he said.
The victim, Chan Sai Chiun, 32, and a worker identified as Mazlan, in his 20’s were earlier kidnapped by two armed men at a fish breeding centre in Kunak, Sabah about midnight on June 16.
On Dec 9, Chan was released by the kidnappers. — Bernama