KUALA LUMPUR: Sungai Besar Umno division chief, Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos, claimed police do not need to launch large-scale hunt against him, including seeking assistance from Interpol as he had only committed minor offences.
He also claimed that the offences he committed were not a crime that would threaten the safety of Malaysians.
Hence, Jamal hopes that Interpol will not entertain Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s request to locate him, as he considered the move, a waste of time.
Jamal went on to say that what he did in the past, such as leading a demonstration against a beer festival by smashing boxes of beer bottles with a sledgehammer after being barred from delivering them to the State Secretariat building in Shah Alam, was just a minor offence.
“Such offence only involved a maximum RM400 penalty, and other offences like illegal protests, carries a fine of only RM100.
“So, it is up to the government to seek assistance from Interpol or the cooperation of international police. I am still in the country," he said in a video distributed to the media today.
He claimed that Immigration Department director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali has also confirmed that there was no record of him leaving the country.
“What is more important that I did not violate any laws,” he said.
Last week, a video depicting Jamal in a palm oil estate, believed to be Indonesia, went viral.
Meanwhile, Selangor police have advised Jamal to be brave and face all charges.
Selangor police chief Datuk Mazlan Mansor said his team via Bukit Aman is cooperating with Interpol to locate Jamal and bring him to justice.
“Bukit Aman is also communicating and sharing information with its Indonesian counterpart, in an effort to locate Jamal and bring him back to Malaysia.
“We will use our resources to bring him to court and enforce the law,” he said when contacted by NSTP today.
He said those with information on Jamal’s whereabouts are urged to come to assist the police in tracing the fugitive.
“We will study all information and leads and appreciate it if Malaysians help us to detect Jamal.
“We had given him ample time to cooperate with us but instead he insulted the rule of law by disappearing,” said Mazlan.
Mazlan also pledged to take stern action against the policemen who were on duty when Jamal disappeared from Ampang Puteri Hospital.
“We will not tolerate such mistake. He (Jamal) was supposed to complete his bail procedure but he had left the hospital before it was done and did not turn up since then,” he said.
Jamal escaped police custody during the bail procedure two weeks ago.
“We believe he may have left for Indonesia illegally,” Mazlan said.
It is learned that Jamal is believed to be hiding at Pulau Karimun, Indonesia.
Jamal is currently being investigated for at least six offences.