Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has conceded that there were problems with a computer firm hired by the police headquarters in Bukit Aman and that the company's services were terminated two years ago.

NONE "For the record, the contract with the company Asiasoft (M) Sdn Bhd has been terminated," said Hishammuddin ( right ) at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

He was responding to allegations by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim who accused the police of hiring a company which allowed Israeli military intelligence agents to infiltrate the communications server room of the national police headquarters.

Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan, in reacting to the accusation, had asked the opposition leader to prove his allegations.

NONE Hishammuddin said that the ministry and the police discovered "suspicious elements" sitting on the board of directors of the company even before the Permatang Pauh MP had raised the matter in Parliament on Wednesday.

"Following that, we had terminated the contract (with Asiasoft). I truly question the remarks made by Anwar in Parliament. It was to gain political mileage in view of the Hulu Selangor by-election. We had already taken action two years ago, why bring the matter up now?

"I believe this matter was raised to get the support of the Malays, which has dwindled within PKR," he told reporters after the post-cabinet meeting.

NONE Also present at the press conference was his deputy, Abu Seman Yusop, and police chief Musa ( right ).

Hishammuddin said Asiasoft had brought in only one foreigner, an Indian national, for the Bukit Aman contract, and he was an application specialist.

The rest, he said, were all Malaysians.

Four-prong approach

Emphasising that both the ministry and government viewed the issue of national security seriously, Hishammuddin said he had ordered four agencies to investigate the matter:

1. The police, following a report by his special officer in Parliament

2. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC)

3. National Security Council (NSC)

4. Parliamentary select committee

Asked whether there would be a time frame for the investigations owing to the sensitive nature of the allegations, Hishammuddin said he would not impose a deadline.

"Let the agencies investigate. Let them come up with their own independent findings," he said.

In the dark

Hishammuddin also challenged Anwar to make the allegations outside of Parliament, so that action can be taken against him as he will not have parliamentary immunity.

Questioned if the MACC's predecessor, the ACA, had investigated the matter two years ago, he said he was not aware of it.

However The Star daily had reported in August 2008, that the ACA was investigating a little-known IT company with little experience that became the local partner in the RM1 billion project to upgrade the Royal Malaysian Police's communication systems from analogue-based to digital.

According to the report, the ACA was also probing how a Singapore-based company, several of whose directors are Israeli nationals, was awarded a slice of the project when it was against the government's directive to do so.

The Israelis are said to be former officers in the Israeli Air Force.

Musa had then been quoted by The Star saying police were aware of the involvement of the Israelis in their communications systems upgrading project and had informed the Home Ministry.

Benjy: Court to determine

On allegations that police had acted wrongfully in detaining actor Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim @ Benjy, Hishammuddin said the matter had been brought to court.

"I admit that actress Azean Irdawaty had approached me to look into the matter. However, as there is this habeas corpus application, let the courts decide. I am glad I do not have to deal with it," he said. 

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