Hisham's muddy view of Akjan case laughable

By Datuk Yong Teck Lee

After reading Home Minister Datuk Hishamuddin Tun Hussein's statement that he has ordered a probe into Mohd Akjan Ali's citizenship, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. I should laugh because the Home Minister is telling a joke about the Akjan case. Or I should cry because our Home Minister really thinks Sabahans are fools. Indeed, Hisham's public utterances have damaged the public confidence towards the government on this case. 

The police already have all the records and detailed information about Akjan. Not only was he an ISA detainee in 1995 to 1997 for manufacturing fake ICs, his company was later awarded multi-million ringgit project to build the police field force base in Kinarut about 10 years ago, directly under the Home Minister who, at the time, was the then Deputy Prime Minister, Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Three months ago, after the fake coronation as "Sultan of Sulu", Akjan was again detained for investigations. Statements were taken from several persons who are close to Akjan. Until recently, Akjan was also a member of UMNO, the ruling party of which Hisham is Vice President Does Hisham expect us to believe that he is still in the dark about Akjan's citizenship, background, activities and history? 

In one of Akjan's earlier statement after the fake "coronation", he had alleged that he has documents for the Prime Minister, Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak, concerning the dropping of the Sulu Sultanate claim to Sabah. I now call on Hishammudding to reveal to the public what the documents are. 

Do any of the documents have to do with letters from the ex-Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to Akjan relating to the Philippine claim to Sabah? If there are such documents, it is likely that copies of such documents are already in the hands of the police but the authorities are keeping quiet. 

Ex-Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee, May 1996 to 1998

No move to charge Umno-linked Akjan

Michael Kaung

Self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan, Mohd Akjan Ali, who was held in police remand under Section 130C of the Penal Code which covers act of terrorism, is now a free man.

KOTA KINABALU: Mohd Akjan Ali Muhammad, the businessman who proclaimed himself as the “Sultan of Sulu” early this year, was released ‘unconditionally’ by the police here yesterday.

His unconditional release means that the case against the flamboyant businessman, who has close connections with Umno, has fallen apart and he will not be charged in the court.

According to Akjan’s counsel PJ Perira, police who arrested him a week ago on his return from Kuala Lumpur, did not apply to extend Akjan’s seven-day remand order which expired yesterday (May 22).

“He was released from Karamunsing police station (here) without condition at about 10am today (Sunday),” Perira said yesterday.

On May 16, Magistrate Noor Hafizah Mohd Salim issued a seven-day remand on Akjan, 53, under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code at the request of investigating officer ASP Azizul Hj Mansur to facilitate police investigations into the recent alleged installation of Akjan as the ‘Sultan of Sulu’ at his residence in Likas.

The police investigated the case under Section 130C of the Penal Code which covers acts of terrorism.

Those found guilty under the section can be jailed between seven and 30 years and fined.

It was widely reported that Akjan, a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, was ceremonially installed as the 33rd reigning Sultan of the Sulu Sultanate on Feb 2, when he took the oath of allegiance in a private ceremony in Kg Likas here.

It was said that the ceremony was witnessed by a group of 60 people including self-styled senior officials of the Sulu Sultanate from Sulu Province in Southern Philippines.

Following the installation, Akjan, who is also Islamic Welfare and Sermon Organisation of Malaysia, Sabah Chapter chairman, was given the title Paduka Maulana Al-Sultan Sharif Ali Muhammad Pulalun or Sultan Hashim Shariful-II.

Serious matter

The unilateral proclamation by Akjan as the reigning sultan provoked a storm in Sabah with politicians on both sides of the political divide urging the authorities to act against the Umno member who subsequently resigned from the party.

The majority of Sabahans had worried that Akjan’s action to declare himself on Malaysia soil as ‘Sultan of Sulu’ would have serious security implications to the state and country.

Some viewed Akjan’s self-styled coronation in Sabah as a challenge to the state and an insult to the King and the Head of State.

While others were concerned the event may be misinterpreted by foreigners from the Philippines to further encourage them to enter Sabah illegally.

During his remand hearing, the flamboyant businessman told the court that whatever he had done was “for the country’s benefit and not my own” apparently in reference to the long-standing Philippines claim on Sabah.

He said he understood the “seriousness of the matter” but requested for a shorter period of remand than the 14 days asked for by the police.

Akjan also argued that his case should not be held in open court on the grounds that it wass a unique and serious matter involving the Malaysian government and that he had written to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on the matter.

A controversial figure since his meteoric rise in local Umno politics, Akjan has been in the news since February this year following the ‘coronation’ ceremony.

The timing and the place of his ‘coronation’ raised eyebrows as it is well-known as a neighbourhood housing several senior Sabah Umno members including a former head of state.

Generous contracts

Following the hue-and-cry by various political parties from both sides of the divide, Akjan issued a clarification saying that what actually took place was just a ‘thanks giving’ ceremony in conjunction with his “acceptance of offer” by the government-in-exile, to be their new sultan.

Akjan and other Umno members were arrested and detained under the ISA in the mid 1990s after he was allegedly caught with a briefcase containing about 2,000 Identity Cards (IC) at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on a return flight from Kuala Lumpur.

Little is known about how he came to be in possession with the large number of document which granted citizenship status to the holders and it was alleged that he was selling the ICs to Filipino illegal immigrants in Sabah for between RM500 and RM3,000.

Opposition politicians have always claimed that there was a murky link between him and Umno and illegal immigrants in the state who were ‘recruited’ as ‘phantom voters’ during elections.

After his release from a two-year detention term, Akjan repositioned himself in Umno at federal level and managed to align himself to former premier Tun Abdullah Badawi.

He was awarded generous government contracts including the prized RM215 million General Operations Force (GOF) housing scheme in Kinarut, in 2004. The project was however abandoned in 2005 when only 35% complete.

Akjan held

Kota Kinabalu: Self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu Datu Mohd Akjan Ati Mohd (pic) was arrested at his Likas home Sunday afternoon, upon returning from Kuala Lumpur, it was reliably learnt.

It is believed that Akjan, who saw himself installed as the 33rd Sultan of Sulu at a private coronation ceremony in Likas on Feb 2, this year, was held for further investigations.

He was previously held under the ISA for involvement in producing fake identity cards.

Mohd Akjan missing?

Police seek interpol’s help to trace Mohd Akjan. The controversial self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Mohd Akjan Ali Muhammad had given Sabah police the slip.

KOTA KINABALU: Police here have been put in an embarrassing position following the disappearance of former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee and self-proclaimed Sultan fo Sulu, Mohd Akjan Ali Muhammad.

Sabah Police Commissioner Hamzah Taib said that they are searching for Akjan who appeared to have gone into hiding following his so-called coronation as the Sultan of Sulu at Kg Likas here on Feb 2 and the ensuing hue and cry.

He said police had been unable to contact Akjan after submitting their preliminary investigation papers to Bukit Aman who had asked for further statements to be recorded from the former Umno member.

“The problem is we are still trying to trace him. He is not in Sabah or in Kuala Lumpur,” he said after attending a Police Day ceremony on Thursday.

It is understood that the police have contacted Interpol and their counterparts in the region to help trace Akjan.

Akjan caused a stir in February this year when a self-proclaimed government-in-exile declared him Sultan Shariful-Hashim II and declared that he was the heir to the Sulu Sultanate with a historical claim on Sabah.

Akjan and other Umno operatives were arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in the mid 1990s.

The arrests were triggered after he was allegedly caught with a briefcase containing about 2,000 ICs at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on a return flight from Kuala Lumpur.

It is believed that he was detained for allegedly selling the ICs to Filipino illegal immigrants in Sabah for between RM500 and RM3,000.

After his released from detention two years later, Akjan repositioned himself in Umno at federal level and managed to align himself to former premier Tun Abdullah Badawi.

By Michael Kaung