PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has to put on hold the extradition to the United States of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, who is scheduled to face three criminal charges related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) there.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he had been advised by Attorney-General Tommy Thomas several days ago via an official letter that Ng had an upcoming court case in Malaysia.
“We have been advised to give priority to the case in Malaysia, which will be heard some time in March. I am unsure what the case is about. But, this is what has been advised by the attorney-general and we will comply with it,” he said after attending the 47th People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) anniversary celebration.
Muhyiddin, however, gave his assurances that Malaysia would carry out Ng’s extradition to the US after his case in Malaysia had been settled.
On Dec 12 last year, the government had filed an application to extradite Ng to the US to face three criminal charges related to 1MDB.
The application was made by the Attorney-General’s Chambers on behalf of the US government, who wanted Ng sent back there to face the Federal Court in the Eastern District of New York.
Last week, Ng was reported to have willingly agreed to be extradited to the US.
On the recent case of alleged insults being posted on the social media against the Prophet and his wife Saidatina Aishah, Muhyiddin said police had started investigations into it, adding that the authorities had identified the owner of the said Facebook account.
“We have said this before. Warnings have been issued several times before. Those who have social media accounts must refrain from making (sensitive) issues that can be deemed as insulting one’s faith and (even) the monarchy.”
Police reports had been lodged against the Facebook account holder for his offensive post that had been shared many times by others who had taken a screenshot of the post.
It was reported that a senior citizen, in his 60s, had been arrested by police in Pahang Tuesday to assist in the investigation over the alleged offensive posting against the Prophet and his wife.
On former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s query on when high profile cases that Pakatan Harapan government had alleged he was involved in would be reopened, Muhyiddin said things would be done in accordance to the rules of law and based on standard operating procedures.