KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Anyone can run a business as long as it’s legal, the deputy police chief said today when asked about a report that the police chief’s daughter sells firearms, raising questions of conflict of interest.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIGP) Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim was commenting on a report by whistleblower site Sarawak Report (SR) that claimed IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar’s second daughter, Juwiza, runs a firearms company called Nilai Arms & Ammunitions.
“Anyone in this country has the equal opportunity to run any businesses that is legal. What’s important is in any business being run, or any job, it must follow the laws,” Noor Rashid told reporters here.
“I am not sure, I have to also read the report in Sarawak Report, but according to the available laws, children of policemen or anyone else’s have equal rights to run business and they must follow the laws which have been put in place,” he added.
When asked if the police would open up an investigation on the matter, Noor Rashid said the police would first assess to see if there are any issues.
SR showed in its report yesterday a purported screen capture of the company records for Nilai Arms & Ammunitions that shows the majority of shares belonging to someone named Juwiza Khalid, while the minority shares are held by a man named Mohd Isa Hussin that the news portal claimed was Khalid’s brother-in-law.
According to Nilai Arms & Ammunitions’ website, the company is based in Nilai, Negri Sembilan.
Gun ownership is strictly regulated in Malaysia. Section 4(1) of the Arms Act 1960 states that applications for a firearms licence or permit must be made to the chief police officer of the state in which the applicant resides.
Malay Mail Online has contacted Khalid for comment.
