PUTRAJAYA: Do not associate Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar with K. Gopinathan, the individual arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over a protection racket crackdown in Melaka last month.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said although Khalid and some of his family members know Gopinathan, who is also known as Gopi, the matter has nothing to do with the case.
"The IGP knows Gopi not because of the crime that the person was alleged to have committed. So do not link him (Khalid) with this case.
"As I have highlighted before, I want the police to to go all out in combating illegal gambling activities in their areas.
"I have instructed the Penang police to take action against this menance which have become rampant in the state," Zahid said after closing the Warshah Islah (workshop) Islamic Education (Lepai) at Putrajaya International Convention Centre, here, today.
Khalid yesterday confirmed that some of his family members know Gopinathan, who was alleged to be a key 'intermediary' in a major police protection racket across gambling dens and prostitution houses in Melaka.
The IGP was responding to a query over a Sarawak Report posting, which alleged that the man was in direct telephone contact with the top cop, his brother in-law and his son.