MAIN SUSPECT IN SOSILAWATI MURDER CASE LINKED TO OTHER CASES

BANTING (Selangor, Malaysia), Sept 16 (Bernama) -- The main suspect in the murder
of cosmetics queen Sosilawati Lawiya is believed to be involved in a number of
missing person, murder and commercial crime cases in the Kuala Langat district,
Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said Thursday.

He said the suspect, a lawyer, was being investigated into the disappearance of
a male Indian national since early this year.

However, he added, a police report on the missing businessman was only lodged on
Sept 8.

"So, how could we have known (about this case) if there was no police report
made?" he said at a press conference after a police-community function at the
Kuala Langat district police headquarters which was also attended by
Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar and his deputy Hussin Ismail, here.

Khalid said the lawyer was also linked to the murder of a woman in Banting last
year.

A newspaper report today said the 44-year-old woman, T.Selvi, who was the wife
of an auto workshop owner, was believed to have been killed over a loan dispute
involving the lawyer.

"Although the woman's husband has made various statements on the case, I don't
wish to comment on it as the case is still under investigation," said Khalid.

He said police had received new leads on this murder case following the
investigation into the murder of Sosilawati, her driver Kamarudin Shansuddin,
44, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38.

"This case (Selvi's murder) was never closed and we will investigate to obtain
more information."

Khalid said police had received seven commercial crime reports against the
lawyer including on criminal breach of trust and cheating in land transactions
since 2005, involving losses amounting to RM7.1 million (US$2.29 million) for
the victims.

He said these cases would be investigated by the police Commercial Crime
Department and that investigations into such cases would take some time as the
police needed to examine various documents.

Asked whether the police in Kuala Langat had been "bought over" by the lawyer,
Khalid said anyone with information on this should report directly to him, Bukit
Aman (Police headquarters)or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

"We will not protect our people who accept bribes," he said.
-- BERNAMA