Zahid backs IGP's refusal to act in Deepa's case

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is backing Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar's refusal to act against a Muslim convert father accused of kidnapping his son from the Hindu mother.

"What has been stated by the inspector-general of police is an official stance of the Home Ministry," Zahid told journalists in Kuala Lumpur when asked if the police would act on the complaint.

The mother, S Deepa, has complained that her ex-husband Izwan Abdullah assaulted her and took away her son after the High Court in Seremban on April 7 granted her custody of her six-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter.

However, there is also a contradicting syariah court order issued last year granting Izwan custody of the children, whom he converted to Islam without Deepa's knowledge.

Khalid said police will not act due to the conflicting orders of the two courts and urged the estranged couple to "talk it out".

Scant details on kidnapping

On a separate matter, Zahid said the authorities are negotiating to reduce the ransom for a Chinese tourist and Filipino worker kidnapped from Semporna, Sabah, on April 2.

 

However, he declined to reveal further information, citing the safety of the hostages.

 

"The police are working with a number of parties that are capable of negotiating directly with the kidnappers.

 

"The kidnapping is solely for profit and it is dangerous for the police or me to reveal about our moves to save the hostages," Zahid said.