KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — The police today confirmed that M. Indira Gandhi’s Muslim convert ex-husband, Muhammad Ridzuan Abdullah, is living abroad to avoid detection and efforts are ongoing with the help of several senior state politicians to convince him to return.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said the police have chosen not to publicise their efforts at reaching out to Muhammad Ridzuan because Indira’s divorce case is complicated, but he assured that he hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal.

He told the media this morning at the Royal Malaysian Police College in Cheras here that his officers are in constant communication, and he was positive that this case will be solved in due course.

“This case has never been off my radar. I know where he is. He is not in the country. I’m looking for an amicable solution where both (Indira and Muhammad Ridzuan) will get the benefit of some form of joint custody.

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“I know it’s going to be very messy, especially divorce cases. I know that. That’s the reason I wouldn’t want to make regular statements on what we have been doing. 

“But quietly, I’ve been getting help from certain senior politicians from the various states to convince the ex-husband.

“So my officers are in communication, it is only a matter of time,” he said during the handover of duties for the appointment of Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani as the new acting deputy IGP.

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Acryl Sani takes over from Datuk Mazlan Mansor who goes on mandatory retirement tomorrow.

Abdul Hamid also said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his predecessor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, are fully aware of his plans.

He said at this juncture, he is also planning to get a senior woman police officer to meet Indira and give her some assurance.

“Actually, I want to get a senior woman officer to meet Indira, not to console her but to assure her that I’m working very, very hard. 

“Meanwhile, I will try to convince him (Muhammad Ridzuan) that everything must be done in accordance with the court ruling and he must not be selfish for the sake of the child’s future.

“I did inform the former prime minister and also the current prime minister who was the home minister then how I planned to tackle this case, because it has been politicised and I don’t want it to be that way. 

“It makes it difficult for us to make progress with the case. My men have to move quietly and assure the ex-husband that it is for the benefit of the child, and he has to abide by court orders,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hamid also said he doesn’t mind meeting Indira personally, when asked by reporters if he would.

“I would open my door to this matter but only to her. I want to meet her alone. I wouldn’t want a third party to be around because this is a private police case… so let me talk to her and see her. I don’t want it to be politicised.”

The country’s top court ruled in January 2018 that the unilateral conversion of Indira’s children by Muhammad Ridzuan in 2009 was unlawful. 

The Federal Court had ordered the police to detain Muhammad Riduan who fled with one of the couple’s daughters, Prasana Diksa, when she was only 11 months old in 2009. 

Indira yesterday also sought an explanation from the government on how her ex-husband was able to abscond from the country, following the home minister’s claim yesterday that he is no longer in the country.

Indira also said plans for a hunger strike on September 11 were still in motion unless she or the Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) representing her received concrete news on Prasana by Abdul Hamid by August 3.