No arrests yet on Yapeim, IGP says
RELATED CONTENT
- IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar speaks during a press conference at Bukit Aman in Kuala …
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — The police have opened a file on Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (Yapeim), Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed today, following corruption allegations against the federal charity organisation.
However, he said the police have yet to make any arrests as its investigations were still in the preliminary stage.
“Whatever police reports we received, we have started investigation,” he told reporters outside the Bukit Aman mosque here.
“No arrests yet as it is still early in the investigation,” he said.
He added that the police are leaving investigations concerning alleged power abuse within the charity that is being overseen by Islamic affairs minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Last Monday, PKR-linked anti-graft group National Oversight and Whistleblowers (NOW) claimed that Yapeim paid RM290,000 to hold two marriage courses in Paris, France in December last year and early this year and questioned its purpose.
Last Wednesday, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic affairs, Senator Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the marriage courses organised by Yapeim were among various efforts made by the federal government to address persistent criticism over its alleged lack of action in dealing with the spread of the LGBT culture.
Jamil Khir who had launched the two courses held under the “Paris Premier Symposium: Marital Issues, Family, Entrepreneurship and Management” banner had also come under fire from the group.
NOW further claimed that Jamil Khir, his wife and their entourage had allegedly used over RM400,000 in Yapeim funds meant for orphans to pay for an eight-day trip to the US to go on a shopping spree and play golf when they were supposed to be attend an official charity programme organised by the state-linked charity agency.
The minister and Yapeim have both denied the allegations and the Jamil Khir has also filed a RM10 million defamation suit against NOW director Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
