Mazlan (second right) presents a memento to Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA) chairperson Jacqueline Atiqah. At right is State Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department head SAC Che Yussof Che Ngah.
KUCHING: The state police have not received any official notice from either Interpol or the Australian authorities regarding the location of a fugitive ‘Datuk’ wanted in connection with the slaying of Bill Kayong.
Speaking in response to a statement from Rod Smith, the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, that Australian authorities were aware of the location of Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, state Police Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor said the police were still waiting for official confirmation on the matter.
“The disclosure was made by Smith, but we are still waiting for official word from the Australians. Investigations are still ongoing but there has been no update from Interpol either,” he told reporters following a high tea between the police and local media yesterday.
Mazlan added the process of arresting and extraditing Lee was currently out of the hands of the police here due to matters of jurisdiction and legality.
“The process is beyond the country’s jurisdiction, so we have to follow Interpol’s rules as well as other existing laws.”
He also said police had not frozen Lee’s assets as of now, although the matter was considered during the course of the investigation.
Earlier in his speech, Mazlan called for a closer rapport between members of the press and the
police to counter false information being spread on social media regarding crime and national security.
He also hoped the local media would highlight various successes achieved by the police in combating crime so as to make the public feel safer and more confident in the police.