Cabinet not aware of Zahid’s letter backing gambling kingpin, says Muhyiddin

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the matter of Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi vouching for gambling kingpin Paul Phua Wei Seng had not been discussed in the Cabinet. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 12, 2015.The Cabinet was unaware of the letter Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sent to the US Federal Bureau of Inv‎estigation (FBI) vouching for a Malaysian gambling kingpin charged with illegal betting in the US, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today in a report by Malaysiakini.The deputy prime minister told a press conference the matter was not discussed in the Cabinet before Zahid sent the letter declaring that Paul Phua Wei Seng was not a member of the Hong Kong 14K triad. Additionally, Zahid also told the FBI that Phua had helped Putrajaya in national security projects."‎We did not discuss in the Cabinet," Muhyiddin was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.He added that he was unaware of the conflicting comments on the case made by Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, whom Phua's lawyers in the US had contacted, and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar."I am not aware of the differing versions," Muhyiddin was quoted as saying.On January 3, Shafee told a press conference that Zahid had written the letter at the request of his legal firm, to "correct" a 2008 report by the police that Phua was a member of the triad."The 2008 report is wrong, there is no 14K triad in Malaysia, not even during the era of Ghee Hin and Hai San," Shafee had said.But Khalid appeared to defend the police findings, and told Malaysiakini that "there are Malaysians abroad who are known to be members of the triad".The Malaysian Insider reported on Saturday that police were upset as Zahid's letter had contradicted their intelligence work on Phua.Zahid had also failed to follow procedure by unilaterally issuing the letter to the FBI, as well as not checking facts on Phua before sending it, they said.The issue became serious enough that Putrajaya ordered Phua's lawyers to retract Zahid's letter from the Nevada District Court where it was tendered as part of Phua's defence.The Malaysian Insider has also learnt that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had met with Zahid, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail over the matter.Phua, a former Macau casino junket operator, faces illegal sports betting charges in Las Vegas after being arrested during last year's FIFA World Cup football in Brazil. His son also faces the same charges.In his letter, Zahid said Putrajaya continued to call upon Phua to assist the government from time to time and as such, Putrajaya was eager for him to return to Malaysia. – January 12, 2015.