PUTRAJAYA, Aug 14 — Police have identified the suspect involved in the unauthorised transfer and withdrawal of money amounting to RM110,643 from the bank accounts of four passengers aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, flight MH370.

“We believe this is an inside job involving a bank employee,” Inspector- General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters after attending the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly, here, today.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had transferred funds from three passengers’ bank accounts into the account of a fourth passenger through Internet banking and together with the fourth passenger’s account, the amount totalled RM110,643.

The accounts were those of two Chinese nationals Ju Kun and Tian Jun Wei and two Malaysians Hue Pui Heng and MH370 steward, Tan Size Hian, who were all on MH370.

The missing money came to light on July 18 when a bank officer from a foreign bank detected a series of suspicious transactions and transfers from the four accounts.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said there was indication on the presence of a fifth account into which the total sum of money belonging to the four passengers was transferred into in July.

“The initial police investigation found that from the RM110,643, a sum of RM35,000 was transferred into the fifth account through Internet banking.

“The fifth bank account is registered in the name of an unknown individual.

Police are still investigating the matter,” he said at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters, here, today.

Dang Wangi district police chief, ACP Zainuddin Ahmad said investigations so far showed no involvement of any international syndicate.

“Everything is still under investigation and so far only the bank has lodged a police report on the case,” he said.

Elaine Chew Oai Poh, 35, wife of Tan Size Hiang said she was still waiting for a call from the police and bank over the issue.

“I did not check my husband’s bank account. It is all private and confidential. When I asked the bank, they said the case was still under investigation,” she said, adding she had still not made a police report.

Flight MH370 disappeared from radar screens on March 8 as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board.

The Boeing 777 aircraft has yet to be found, even after an exhaustive search in the southern Indian Ocean where it is believed to have gone down after veering off course. — Bernama