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SHAH ALAM - Malaysian police investigators have been granted access by Indonesian authorities to question a 39-year-old Malaysian pilot detained in Jakarta over an alleged drug trafficking case.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said a team from the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) had been permitted to interview the pilot, who was detained at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on July 28 after Indonesian authorities allegedly found a large quantity of drugs in his luggage.
“From the beginning, our investigators were given access by the Indonesian authorities to interview the subject,” he said.
Saifuddin said investigations were ongoing and urged all parties to give the Malaysian investigative team sufficient time to complete its work.
The pilot was reportedly detained after Indonesian authorities allegedly found 70,114 ecstasy pills and four grammes of methamphetamine in his luggage.
The case has raised questions over how the drugs were allegedly brought through Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) before the pilot travelled to Jakarta.
Malaysian authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the case, including issues related to airport security and the movement of the drugs.
Saifuddin said proposals to strengthen security measures at airports were being studied by a multi-agency team, with recommendations potentially to be presented jointly with the Transport Minister at next week's Cabinet meeting.
The proposed measures are expected to strengthen existing security procedures and address any potential gaps identified following the incident.
Malaysian investigators are also working with their Indonesian counterparts to establish the circumstances surrounding the pilot's arrest and the alleged possession of the drugs.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the pilot's detention in Indonesia does not in itself establish guilt. Further details are expected as authorities in both countries continue their respective investigations.
