Give cops room to conduct thorough probe on Roger Ng, says IGP

GEORGE TOWN: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has urged the public to give the police the necessary leeway to conduct a thorough investigation against former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa, as it involves the government’s and the people’s money.

He said the investigation against 51-year-old Ng, who was extradited from the United States to help with the investigation into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case, would continue until the authorities were satisfied.

“There is no time frame (for this investigation). So we will continue (our investigation) until we are satisfied because it is the government’s and the public’s money at stake.

“We will hold press conferences from time to time. Give us time to investigate (before we reveal anything).

“It has only been two days (since the police started their investigation). These is not stolen chicken case, so please be patient,” he told reporters after opening the 76th Marine Police Day celebration at the marine police base in Batu Uban here on Thursday (Oct 12).

Local media reported that Ng was brought back to Malaysia by a special police team to assist in the investigation into the scandal.

On Jan 9 this year, the High Court here granted him a discharge not amounting to acquittal over four charges of abetting Goldman Sachs, by omitting material facts and making false statements, in the sale of security notes and bonds worth US$6.5bil belonging to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) subsidiaries.

On April 8 last year, Ng was found guilty by a court in the United States for conspiring to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars from 1MDB and was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison in New York.

In a separate matter, Razarudin said the police would be transparent and fair in investigating the alleged beating of a detainee by two policemen at the Klang Selatan police headquarters.

He said when the investigation is completed, the police would send it to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

In another development, Razarudin said police were currently gathering information on whether a syndicate in the country was involved in the case of 43 Malaysians who were recently rescued in Peru after they were believed to have been trafficked by the Macau scam syndicate.

Meanwhile, he said the marine police seized various good worth RM186mil this year up to August involving 4,955 cases of smuggling of cigarettes, liquor, national treasures and drugs.

“The success of the operations carried out by marine police is also the result of cooperation with the Immigration Department, the Fisheries Department, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs as well as the Marine Department and the ports authorities in an effort to combat contraband smuggling and prevent cross-border crimes in national waters,” he said.

He said the Region 3 Marine Police headquarters in Tok Bali, Bachok, Kelantan worth RM75mil was currently under construction and was expected to be completed in Jan 2024.

“In addition, the Forward Operation Base development project in Mabul Island, Semporna, Sabah worth RM45.5mil also under construction and expected to be completed in Jan 2024 while the Muar Operation Base development project in Muar, Johor worth RM40mil is under scope of work process,” he said. – BK