Monday, September 20, 2010

BANTING MURDERS: No raid on Murugiah's house or clinic, say police

KUALA LUMPUR: Police yesterday dismissed rumours that the house and clinic of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk T. Murugiah were raided in connection with investigations into the murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three aides.

Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin also denied allegations that Murugiah was linked to the murder investigations.

Rumours have been rife that police had raided Murugiah's office in Putrajaya and his family's diabetic centre in Jalan Ipoh on Saturday.


Several text messages were also circulated linking Murugiah to one of the lawyers implicated in the murders.

The text messages allege that the 41-year-old lawyer from Banting had funded Murugiah in politics and had built the diabetic centre for him.

Murugiah rubbished the claims.


"They're all rumours. No such thing happened."

Murugiah said it was impossible that the lawyer had funded his clinic as he had never met the suspect until recently.

He said the only time he met the lawyer was on Sept 8 at a function in Banting where the latter expressed interest in joining MIC.


"He was introduced to me as a 'Datuk', so I just talked to him for awhile. That was it."

Murugiah said the rumours were a political ploy to tarnish his image.

On Friday, Murugiah lodged a police report in Ipoh over an SMS linking him to the lawyer.

When asked if he knew who was out to ruin his reputation, Murugiah said police were investigating and they should have the answers soon.