I’m not defending Ambank shooter, says Surendran

However, the Padang Serai MP stresses that the suspect is entitled to full legal defense.

KUALA LUMPUR: Padang Serai MP N Surendran said today that he has no intention of defending the security guard who brutally killed a bank officer in Subang Jaya last month and added that what a blogger wrote about him as “disgraceful and sickening.”

Despite previously denying he was the lawyer for murder suspect Laode Ardina Laode Rasila, Surendran was still subjected to online abuse following controversial Umno blogger Papagomo’s claim that he (Surendran) was to represent the shooter.

“This rumour started a month ago when the disgraceful and sickening Papagomo started spreading lies on his blog,” Surendran told FMT.

“There is absolutely no truth to this and I do not know this man (Laode). I have no intention of defending him.

“This is a complete and utter lie that is being repeated again and again. I don’t know why people would listen to such a liar,” he added.

Indeed, Surendran believed that Laode should receive the highest form of punishment possible for shooting point-blank at Norazita Abu Talib as she was opening the bank vault before calling it a day.

“If you ask me, he should be tried and convicted and receive punishment to the fullest extent for his terrible crime,” he said.

However, the PKR vice-president reiterated that Laode was entitled to a full legal defence despite the horrible nature of the crime.

“Whatever the crime, a suspect is entitled to a full legal defence, and everybody should accept that,” he said.

He explained that “in the middle of paranoia,” there were some who think Laode is not entitled to it.

“Although it is a horrible crime, he is entitled as this is a democratic system,” he said.

On Sunday, Laode was arrested at 7am at Kampung Belungkor, Kota Tinggi in Johor Bahru – the last suspect to be nabbed – by a group of special police force from the Ops Cantas Unit.

Bukit Aman CID Director, deputy Commissioner Hadi Ho Abdullah said with the arrest, they believed that the case is solved.

On Monday, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the security guard confessed to the crime during interrogation and informed that another man was involved in masterminding the robbery.

Khalid then added that police were now hunting for the other man, also an Indonesian known as Joemar, who was believed to be the security guard’s friend.