Zahid: Letter to FBI was to provide clarification, not to vouch for Phua

KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied claims that a letter sent to US' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was made to vouch for gambling kingpin Paul Phua Wei Seng.
He said the letter was instead sent to provide clarification that Phua was not a member of Hong Kong-based triad 18k in Malaysia.
"This issue should not be prolonged as the letter was not made in support of the said individual," he told reporters when met at the Parliament here.
He said he had to make the explanation in the Dewan Rakyat as the opposition MPs had many times questioned the intention of the letter.
"I swear in the name of Allah, wallahi, wabillahi, watallahi, that I did not receive a single cent (from Phua) for sending the letter or to cooperate with any individual involved in gambling," he said.
"I hope the opposition will not prolong the issue any more and take my explanation as the official answer from the ministry, the government and me personally," he added.
Ahmad Zahid was reiterating his stand on the matter which he had made during the wrapping up of his ministry's reply on the motion of thanks on the royal address earlier.
Earlier in the Dewan Rakyat session, he had swear that he did not have any personal interest in the matter.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid assured that the government would not hide any cases of detainees death in police custody if there were any element of foul-play.
He said although there were accusation of police abuse on detainees, statistic had shown that such death cases were due to medical condition and health status of an individual.
"However if there are any cases of power abuse, I will not tolerate and legal action will be taken against those responsible," he said.
"Do not think that the ministry will be siding to those who had go against the law," he added.