INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador revealed that 34 public sector personnel, including from the police force, are believed to be in cahoots with ‘Geng Nicky’, a gang linked to businessman Datuk Seri Nicky Liow Soon Hee, who is still at large.
The 33-year-old founder of Winner Dynasty Group – who is wanted for his alleged involvement in a money laundering and commercial syndicate – was believed to have been tipped off on the impending raid by police and government agency officers.
So far, in a series of operations known as Ops Pelican 3.0, a total of 70 raids were held in the Klang Valley, with 118 individuals inspected and 68 arrested with RM770,000 in cash seized.
While this sounds like a plot from a police procedural, the fact that this is very real, and happening right here in Malaysia, is indeed worrisome.
Granted, hardly a week goes by without a titled person – a Datuk or a Datuk Seri – being in trouble with the law these days. But what made the entire saga much worse was the involvement of police personnel in this matter.
If anything, this only adds substance to previous allegations by various individuals – including Hamid and former IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan – about a vast network of rogue officers within the police force who has engaged in various activities.
In the case of the crooked businessman, the main question that needs to be addressed is this: why hasn’t the Pahang state government revoked Liow’s ‘datukship’ yet?
In 2019, the Pahang state government announced several reforms to the awarding of medals and state degrees, one of which stated that an immediate investigation should be made into awardees suspected of being associated with misconduct, dishonesty, or lack of integrity.
Considering the severity of Liow’s case, it would be in the state government’s best interest to call for an immediate investigation and get his ‘datukship’ revoked as to not further sully the reputation of other hard-working recipients of the prestigious awards.
Liow was conferred the ‘Darjah Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (SSAP)’ which carries the title ‘Datuk Seri’ by the Sultan of Pahang in 2015 in conjunction with his majesty’s 85th birthday.
He first gained notoriety when he was arrested for assaulting two Rela (People’s Volunteer Corps) personnel outside a temple in Kampung Baru Ampang in 2017. He was eventually acquitted and discharged two years later after the victims agreed to a settlement.
In addition to the two investigation papers opened on him under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Liow has 12 past criminal records for crimes and drugs-related offences. – April 2, 2021
Photo credit: BenarNews
