The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar should state whether police were right or wrong in linking alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua to the 14K triad because the credibility of the police force is at stake, says Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 11, 2015.The nation's top cop should state whether police were right or wrong in linking alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua Wei Seng to the 14K triad, an opposition lawmaker said.Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said it was not enough for Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to ask the public to interpret for themselves."Khalid should brave himself up and openly state whether Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is right in saying that the police was wrong to link Paul Phua to the 14K triad."It is not enough for him to ask people to interpret his statements. That will only make things worse," Gobind said in a statement today."The credibility of the police force is at stake not only in Malaysia but internationally. There is no point dropping hints."Gobind said Shafee had no business speaking for the police force or the government."Shafee may speak on behalf of his client, but it must be Khalid who speaks up for the police force."Khalid had previously told news portal Malaysiakini that he would not comment on Phua's case as it would jeopardise the court proceedings in the United States."With all due respect, that is ludicrous. All we are asking him to do is to state the position of the police insofar as Phua and the 14K triad are concerned."Gobind said this did not affect the case in the United States.Furthermore, he said, since Shafee has publicly commented on the issue, speaking on Phua's behalf and accusing the police of making "a very big mistake", Khalid cannot just remain silent."He must respond. Did the police make a big mistake or not?"If the police did, then own up to it. If they did not, Khalid should defend his force."He must strike back and tell both Shafee and Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that they are wrong," Gobind said.Phua was arrested in Las Vegas in June during the FIFA World Cup 2014 for illegal betting.The issue made the headlines when the South China Morning Post reported that Zahid had written a letter to the FBI vouching for Phua.Zahid's letter contradicted intelligence work on Phua, whom police have found to be involved in triad activities.Phua is now facing illegal sports betting charges in Las Vegas, Nevada.In the letter, Zahid had not only cleared Phua, but said he had helped the government in national security projects.Zahid has been condemned by many quarters for acting unilaterally and for abusing his office.The issue became serious enough for Putrajaya to order Phua's lawyers to retract Zahid's letter from the Nevada District Court where it was tendered as part of Phua's defence.The allegation that Phua was a member of the Hong Kong 14K triad was based on an FBI internal document previously submitted to the court, according to the police.Malaysian police are reported to have informed the FBI’s representative in Kuala Lumpur of Phua's ties with the criminal organisation.“The RMP has identified the 14K triad as a local, organised crime syndicate involved in illegal drugs, illegal gambling and money laundering activities in Malaysia," stated the internal FBI document, dated July 17, 2008.However, Zahid refuted these allegations in his letter when he said Phua was neither a member of the triad, nor was he associated with it in Malaysia, and that the triad did not exist in Malaysia.Indirectly, Khalid had appeared to be defending police findings concerning Phua.While he said that the 14K triad did not exist in Malaysia, he told news portal Malaysiakini that "there are Malaysians abroad who are known to be members of the triad.""How people wish to interpret this statement (above) is up to them," Khalid had said, according to Malaysiakini. – January 11, 2015.
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