Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is puzzled by lawyer P Waytha Moorthy's criticism of him over the case of deported Pakistani journalist Syed Fawad Ali Shah.
Saifuddin (above) said he had already explained the matter at length to Waytha and that the latter was thankful for this.
"I am confused because I had briefed Waytha when he met me on what actually happened.
"I also shared the chronology of the case with him, and in fact, Waytha was thankful to me and offered his assistance," the minister told Malaysiakini.
He also expressed confusion as to why Waytha criticised him over something that occurred before he took office as the home minister.
Previously, when answering a question from Jelutong MP RSN Rayer in Parliament, Saifuddin said Syed Fawad was arrested for not having a valid pass to enter Malaysia before he was deported back to his home country last August.
This prompted criticism from Waytha yesterday, who claimed that the Immigration Department had misled Saifuddin.
He also alleged that the minister's parliamentary reply "reeked of irresponsibility" on Malaysia's part in the eyes of the international human rights bodies.
Last year, Syed Fawad's wife, only known as Syeda, had pleaded for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's help to locate her missing husband.
It was reported in March that Syed Fawad was found alive in a prison in Pakistan.
He was also reported to have been a journalist living in exile.
However, Saifuddin had said previously that the Pakistani government claimed Syed Fawad was a former police officer who had several disciplinary cases. - Mkini
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