Four bodies to probe Anwar’s allegations — Hishammuddin

PUTRAJAYA: Four bodies, namely the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Security Council and a parliamentary select committee will be probing allegations made by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that Israeli agents infiltrated Bukit Aman, (federal police headquarters), said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.He said Anwar had hurled accusations that were very serious about the Royal Malaysia police which involved the security of the country and that as the minister responsible, he had taken several immediate steps, including lodging reports with the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission regarding the matter .

“This is a very serious accusation that was brought to Parliament about the Police.

“Why now when the matter was alleged to have happened in 2008?

“Now is 2010 and why the need to make accusations that Israeli agents infiltrated Bukit Aman and the like?” he told a press conference after his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting here yesterday.

Hishammuddin said this in commenting on Anwar’s allegations in Parliament this week that Israeli intelligence agents were able to penetrate Bukit Aman.

On Tuesday, Anwar, when debating in the Dewan Rakyat, had claimed that he had documents that proved Israeli agents had gained access to the communications server room at Bukit Aman.

He had alleged that they did so through a Singapore-based company that was contracted to upgrade the RMP’s communication system.

Hishammuddin said his special officer in Parliament Datuk Markiman Kobiran was instructed to lodge reports with the police and the MACC over the matter.

“And because it involves aspects of national security, I have also asked the National Security Council to investigate,” he said, adding that the matter would be on the agenda of his ministry’s future meetings.

He said his ministry had also asked for a parliamentary select committee to delve into the matter.

“This way, the public cannot accuse us of covering up anything which later might be twisted by them (opposition),” he said.

He also did not dismiss the possibility that the accusations were to serve Anwar’s own political interest, what more with the Hulu Selangor

by-election just around the corner.

Elaborating further, he said the services of the company involved were terminated soon after doubts arose on security issues when it began its work.

“On the allegations that there were Israeli agents in Bukit Aman, I wish to clarify the workers of the company who were allowed into its premises were all Malaysians except for an applications consultant who was an Indian citizen,” he said.

On the habeas corpus application by actor Benjy, Hishammuddin said the case no longer came under his ministry as it was before the courts now.

Benjy, 32, whose real name is Khareiyll Benjamin Ibrahim, filed the habeas corpus application in the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday following his detention under the Special Preventive Measures of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1985.

Under the Act, police can detain him up to 60 days. — Bernama