Muhyiddin: I bear responsibility for Jamal’s absconding

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says he bears responsibility for Umno Sungai Besar chief Jamal Yuno' escape to Indonesia.

“All (security) departments are under me and more so because of that, I think I bear responsibility (for Jamal’s escape),” he said to a question at a press conference in Putrajaya this morning.

Jamal has been on the run since police issued an arrest warrant for him last week, He had also been blacklisted from leaving the country by the Immigration Department.

When pressed on how Jamal had left the country even after being blacklisted, Muhyiddin said he, too, was unaware.

“I don’t know, we will look into all those things. I am also as puzzled as you are.

“There may be issues of negligence or poor management on this issue, which I am not happy with,” he said, adding that he had instructed inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun to work with Indonesian officials to track down Jamal.

Muhyiddin addressed the press after attending a briefing at the Immigration Department led by its director-general Mustafar Ali.

Illegal escape

Mustafar, meanwhile said Jamal (photo) could not have left the country through legal channels.

“We do not know (whether he left illegally).

“If he had left through legal channels, we would definitely have detected him,” Mustafar said when approached after the press conference.

Jamal’s alleged escape to Indonesia comes after he was charged on May 25 under Section 290 of the Penal Code for public nuisance, over a protest outside the Selangor state secretariat building in Shah Alam last October.

During the protest, he had smashed several crates of beer bottles.

Jamal is also being investigated under Section 34 of the Arms Act 1960 for carrying a firearm while in a drunk or disorderly state.

He had been charged while undergoing treatment at the Ampang KPJ specialist hospital for back pain, but disappeared from the hospital before the bail process could be completed.

He later resurfaced, but denied fleeing from police custody, claiming that he had gone to the Lembaga Tabung Haji building to withdraw money to foot the cost of his case.

He later promised to surrender to police, but again failed to show up. 

Soon after, Jamal released a video clip of himself in an undisclosed oil palm plantation, in which he said he feared for his life and alleged that he was being victimised by the Pakatan Harapan goverment. 

He has been missing since. - Mkini