Prime Ministry lambasts lax security at chip heist
Malaysiakini.com
Nov 24, 2006

The police believe that the RM50 million worth of microchips stolen in a daring heist from a cargo complex in Penang on Monday are still in the country.

They also believe that they can make more arrests in connection with the heist.

So far, eight men have been remanded in connection with the case. The latest was the remand of two men yesterday. Both of them were from Penang.

A day after the daring theft, the police quickly swung to action by arresting four men. This was followed by the arrest of a further two men.

At the same time, the Penang police have intensified their search operations to trace the missing microchips which were stolen in a 2.15am raid from the MASKargo Complex in Batu Maung, Penang.

A group of 20 armed robbers, four of them clad in Rela uniform, entered the cargo complex and assaulted and drugged the 17 people present there before carting away microchips.

“(Police will continue to) conduct road blocks, patrol the coastal areas and conduct aerial search for the missing microchips,” said Penang police chief Koh Hong Sun.

“Enforcement officials in the major exits points including ports and airports nationwide have been put on high alert. They will be vigilant,” he added.

PM not satisfied

Meanwhile Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told reporters in Sabah yesterday that the police were confident over recovering the loot.

“I spoke to the IGP Musa Hassan yesterday and he told me that police hope to recover the entire consignment,” he said.

He also slammed lax security procedures after at the cargo complex.

Abdullah said the robbery raised a number of questions including over the delay of several hours before police were alerted to the crime.

"I am definitely not satisfied ... it is as if nobody knew who was responsible," he was quoted as saying by the state Bernama news agency.

“If we can recover the shipment stolen from the air cargo, (investors) will once again be confident with our air cargo services,” said the premier, who did not discount the involvement of an international syndicate.
    
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