Malaysian police chief says opposition leader Samsuri not under surveillance as claimed
Sign up now: Get insights on the biggest stories in Malaysia
Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the surveillance on him was a “blatant misuse of government resources as a political weapon”.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Follow topic:
A senior leader of Malaysia’s Islamist party said he was under state surveillance and his phone was tapped after he was flagged for travel control in the country’s border systems, a claim which the government downplayed.
Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, the vice-president of Malaysia’s biggest opposition party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia or PAS, said the surveillance on him was a “blatant misuse of government resources as a political weapon”, according to a statement on April 10.
Dr Samsuri is a Member of Parliament and the Chief Minister of Terengganu, an east coast state which PAS controls. He’s been touted as a potential prime minister candidate
In response, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on April 11 said he, too, and all of the country’s top leaders are flagged in the border control system through the so-called Travel Control Office/Order or TCO, Malay Mail reported.
There is no reason for Dr Samsuri to be placed under surveillance as he is not a criminal, said Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Hussain.
According to Sinar Harian, Tan Sri Razarudin said that the Terengganu Chief Minister was mistaken in his claims about being placed under the TCO.
“The term TCO used by him in his social media post is also incorrect because TCO is actually a police officer on duty at the country’s entry and exit points.
“He is not a criminal who needs to be placed in on a watch list for wanted individuals (criminals) who need to be detained inside or outside the country,” he said.
“In fact, his position as a menteri besar also requires protection and security from escort officers consisting of the police themselves, so indirectly all his movements are known,” he said on April 11.
Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution earlier denied the state was placing additional surveillance on Dr Samsuri beyond the security detail already accorded to the latter as a state chief minister, according to a report in Free Malaysia Today.
All “VVIPs” in the country were under surveillance for security reasons, Mr Saifuddin was quoted as saying. He also denied Dr Samsuri’s phone was being tapped.
“I was stopped and pulled aside on hold,” Dr Samsuri said regarding his movements in and out of Malaysia’s borders since the last quarter of 2024.
He said additional clearance was needed before he was allowed to cross the border. “Is my phone tapped? Of course,” he said.
Dr Samsuri said he was being followed everywhere, even for his personal matters, and that he was placed under surveillance to “ease the paranoia of some people”. BLOOMBERG
