‘Sanjeevan wanted to expose dirty cops’

Saturday’s assassination attempt on the MyWatch chief comes on the heels of his intention to disclose a list of cops being internally probed for alleged involvement in drug syndicates.

PETALING JAYA: MyWatch Chief R Sri Sanjeevan was to expose this week a list of policemen being internally probed for alleged involvement in drug syndicates, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli claimed today.

The PKR strategy director said that last Friday – a day before Sanjeevan was shot by an unknown assailant – the latter had revealed to Rafizi the confidential internal memo with the hopes that the two could collaborate on exposing the matter.

“I was hesitant and cautioned him, because if it is an internal investigation, we cannot disclose the matter,” Rafizi told a joint press conference with Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and PKR vice-president R Sivarasa at the party’s headquarters here.

“But his view, which I think is valid, was that the number of people involved and the gravity of the charges indicated the seriousness of the issue and how deeply involved some quarters of the police force are (in the drug syndicate).”

The Pandan MP said that while he had not seen the document himself, the two agreed to meet again this week to further discuss the matter.

“I wasn’t convinced, as I thought we had to be fair. He said to me, look at some of the people charged, and how the sections involved showed huge amounts of drugs.

“I think he planned to disclose the list this week, and if he were to disclose, it would provide a different perspective on crime and the underworld.”

Rafizi said this was why he believed Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had jumped the gun in declaring yesterday that police were not behind Saturday’s shooting, which has left Sanjeevan reportedly in a critical but stable condition.

Ahmad Zahid’s denial flies in the face Sanjeevan’s tweet prior to being shot, which reads: “A @PDRM cop told some syndicate fellow that he’ll get them firearm & told them to fire few shots at my house to scare me/family! @KBAB51.

“It was too premature for Zahid to say that…given the circumstantial and anecdotal evidence, people know that Sanjeevan was…probing links between the police force and the underworld…” said Rafizi.

“Don’t preclude anything at this point – it may involve other parties, it may even involve people in the home ministry.”

Rogue policemen

Anwar, meanwhile, said he “regretted” that Ahmad Zahid would make such a statement, and urged the minister to allow for a full thorough investigation on the “assassination attempt” before making such conclusions.

“You cannot just assume without facts and investigations… this is the problem with Umno politicians…. The high profile played by Sanjeevan has raised concerns of some rogue police officers. This cannot be summarily dismissed,” he stressed.

“PKR does not rule out that what happened to Sanjeevan, as mentioned by former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Musa Hassan, may have a direct link to his intentions to expose police personnel’s involvement in crime syndicates and illegal activities.”

He also called for IGP Khalid Abu Bakar to beef up security at the Seremban hospital, where Sanjeevan is reportedly awaiting surgery to remove the bullet from his rib cage.

“The security is grossly inadequate. Certain threat remains and the police must therefore step up security.”

But he also welcomed the IGP’s pledge to thoroughly investigate the shooting from all angles.

Surgery probably today

On Saturday, Sanjeevan was driving his silver BMW, with the friend in tow, when he decided to wind down the driver’s window for a smoke  at Taman Awana Indah at around 4.30pm.

At that juncture, two men on a red Yamaha LC motorcycle and wearing full-faced crash helmets, drew alongside the car before the pillion rider shot Sanjeevan on  the right side of the abdomen at close range.

Meanwhile, when FMT contacted MyWatch advisor S Gobi Krishnan, he stated that Sanjeevan is in stable condition.

“Since yesterday night Sanjeevan was experiencing fever, thus the surgery to remove the bullet from his rib cage postponed. Hopefully the surgery can be performed today if his fever subsides,” said Gobi.

Sanjeevan is now warded at Seremban Hospital.