‘Did the Ambank suspect vote in GE13?’

Lim Kit Siang says Laode Ardina’s ability to obtain a MyKad and firearm license was an insult to Malaysia sovereignty and security system.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ambank murder-robbery case is an insult to the national sovereignty and security because of the ability of the Indonesian-born suspect to obtain a MyKad and firearm license, said Lim Kit Siang.

Training his gun at the enforcement agencies while debating the Budget 2014 in the Parliament today, Lim (DAP- Gelang Patah) said the suspect who hailed from Sulawesi, Laode Ardina Laode Rasila, had successfully circumvent all security systems.

“How did he get his MyKad? How did he manage to open a bank account and has his salary banked in to the account every month? How did he even get the firearm license from the Home Ministry?

“Above all, did he vote in the 13th general election?” he said.

Laode Ardina has assumed the identity of Ardi Hamzah from Sabah and worked as a security guard in Ambank.

In the incident on Oct 23, he shot the bank officer Norazita Abu Talib after the victim had opened the bank’s safe. He fled the scene with RM450,000 before he was nabbed by the police last week.

Firearms for religious officers

Meanwhile, Lim also questioned the call by Terengganu government to arm its religious officers with firearms after a Pahang religious officer was shot dead, saying that even the police officials have lost their firearms.

“It is as though if one day a journalist is shot dead while performing his job, all the journalists must be equipped with firearms as well” he said.

Lim said the government’s mismanagement was the cause behind the deteriorating security conditions and it was time to save the country from this “security nightmare”.

“Malaysians dream of a secured environment, without having to worry about being robbed or murdered. But the fact is today we can see that many people live in fear.

“Fear cannot be concealed like how a mural art depicting a true social criticism in Johor was hidden by a layer of white paint,” he said, referring the Lego mural which has been whitewashed by Johor Baru City Council last week.