KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 – The Selangor government said today it will examine media reports of a “PKR man” who was arrested in Indonesia last week before deciding on the next course of action.
Online media and pro-Umno blogs have linked the man, identified by Indonesian news portal Detik as Azmin Helmi, to a female state executive councillor.
“The state government will study media reports and take further action if it has implications for the state government, its leaders and the administration,” the Selangor mentri besar’s office said in a statement.
“The matter will also be brought to the PKR political bureau meeting this Wednesday and any decision will be announced to the people immediately.”
The statement, issued by the mentri besar’s press secretariat, added that it would be unethical for “certain parties” to exploit the issue to question anyone’s credibility.
The public was also urged not to permit dirty politics and personal attacks to distract from the state government’s primary agenda of governing effectively and transparently.
Azmin, who claims to be a PKR member, was detained by Indonesian authorities on Friday for allegedly possessing fake identification documents.
According to Detik, the 36-year-old was picked up in Batam by immigration officers who became suspicious when he tried to renew his counterfeit passport.
The Ampang, Selangor resident was also found holding a false Indonesian identity card and family card issued in Batam, as well as a fake birth certificate from the Karimun Regency.
Batam immigration authorities told the press that Azmin had entered Indonesia on a Malaysian passport via the Tanjung Balai international port in Karimun on February 15, 2009.
He told investigators he had travelled around Indonesia, visiting Pekanbaru, Jakarta before eventually residing in Cengkareng, Cingkawang and Pondok Kelapa districts, exceeding his 30-day visitors visa.
Azmin also claimed his stay in Jakarta had been funded by his family and PKR.
“I chose to stay in Indonesia even though my visa had ended because my family in Malaysia and the PKR leadership urged me to change in Indonesia,” he reportedly told immigration officers.
“My safety is not ensured in Malaysia as a result of threats made against me by Malaysian leaders who may use me as a pawn or political tool for the authorities.”
6 comments