The Home Ministry today brushed aside claims of discrepancies in the investigation of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s infamous 1998 “black-eye incident”, despite the Cabinet’s directive last month to query Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail on his alleged involvement in the case.
In a letter to DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang dated December 2, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told the Ipoh Timor MP that the police would not reopen investigations into the case, despite claims by the former investigating officer in the incident of new information that implicated Abdul Gani and former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
Hishammuddin added that the Royal Malaysian Police had completed its checks on the 12-year-old investigation and had found no reason to suggest that false evidence had been given.
“There were no explanations given to show that false testimony had been made during the investigation.
“The prosecution of (former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri) Rahim Noor for inflicting injury on Anwar Ibrahim was based on proof that was uncovered during the investigation.
“He was charged in court under Section 323 of the Penal Code and he had pleaded guilty to the charge,” Hishammuddin wrote in his letter.
The minister was writing in response to Lim’s questions during debates for his ministry’s 2011 budget, which he had failed to address during his winding up in the House recently.
Lim had raised the issue of former KL CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, the investigating officer in Anwar’s assault case, who had revealed in an open letter to the new IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar on October 8 that he had new information on the “black-eye incident” which implicated Abdul Gani, the current Attorney-General.
Following Mat Zain’s revelations, the Najib administration had instructed two Cabinet ministers — Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Datuk Seri Utama Rais Yatim — to question Abdul Gani on the matter.
Speaking to The Malaysian Insider two weeks ago, Nazri confirmed this, adding that the Cabinet wanted to hear Abdul Gani’s explanation before taking any action.
But in his letter to Lim last week, Hishammuddin insisted that there was no need to reopen investigations on the case.
He claimed that despite Mat Zain’s allegations, his letter had not contained any elements of incitement, defamation, criminal intimidation and was not vulgar as to trigger any police investigation.
Hishammuddin also said that the country’s criminal justice system had not gone “topsy-turvy” as a result of the “black-eye incident”, as claimed by the veteran politician.
“The principle of separation of powers allows the police to carry out its duty to investigate crime while the A-G’s Chambers is responsible to prosecute criminals and the court’s function is to provide a space to hear and discuss these trials,” he said.
Hishammuddin claimed that all three arms of the government played their respective roles to ensure there were no disruptions in the country’s justice system.
The Sembrong MP also pointed out to Lim that, to date, no police reports have been lodged on Mat Zain’s open letter, which has been distributed across the Internet.
In his letter, Mat Zain had claimed that an independent panel that cleared Abdul Gani and Musa of fabricating evidence in the incident was unconstitutional and accused the country’s top lawyer of deceiving the Cabinet over the independent panel.
He said there was no need for any royal commission of inquiry on the matter as the police were capable of resolving the case themselves.
Mat Zain also revealed that there had been an agreement between former IGP Rahim, former Deputy IGP Tan Sri Norian Mai as well as Mat Zain on October 8, 1998, at 2.30pm that there would be “complete closure” to the black-eye case.
“It is important that I note that Rahim Noor was ready to take full responsibility in the black-eye incident, and his decision was made of his own accord,” said Mat Zain. “The closure of the case had been agreed to be done professionally, above board.”
Mat Zain said that Rahim was prepared to step down after the closure of the black-eye incident.
“But I found out that about 5pm to 5.30pm on the same day, Allahyarham (the late) Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah, along with the then Datuk Abdul Gani Patail (now Tan Sri), had met with Rahim Noor at his office. At 6pm, I was then told by Tan Sri Norian to ‘continue investigations like normal’.
“I then understood that the agreement that we had reached mere hours ago had been cancelled. I was shocked and upset, but who was I to say anything at the time,” said Mat Zain.
The former policeman also accused Abdul Gani of falsifying testimonies relating to the black-eye incident.
He said the longer the case remained unresolved, the longer innocent officers would be accused of being involved in a cover-up of the case.
In July 2008, Anwar filed a police report accusing Abdul Gani, Mat Zain, Musa (then a senior investigation officer in 1998) and Dr Abdul Rahman Yusof of falsifying a medical report on his black-eye case.
Rahim, the IGP in 1998, had admitted he assaulted Anwar following a royal commission of inquiry probe in 1999.
He has since been convicted of the crime and sentenced to two-months imprisonment with a fine of RM2,000. Rahim has completed his sentence.
comments
Well did anyone expect anything else? A reputable, former police officer had alleged that gani had lied during the enquiry and home minister dismisses it offhand. the cabinet pretended that it was going to investigate and now Hish says no. Shouldn't it be for the law minister to decide whether to investigate the AG?
Hishammuddin is a coward. He is trying to cover Gani. What is so difficult to investigate what the former investigator revealed? With all the magic show that happened during the trial, I'll be totally surpeise if there is no shenanigans going on. Look at the stain mattress and look at the people that were involved and were promoted. There is quid pro quo going on there.
BN runs the government like a kerajaan of yore, not a pemerintahan demokrasi ... what it says goes. If it says black is white, then black is white. Ministers do not hold themselves accountable to the people. Instead, they hold the people accountable to them, even though many lies made by them have been exposed.
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