Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that investigations into allegations that cabinet ministers were involved in the illegal Federal Special Forces of Malaysia (FSFM) would be carried out "because if we do not investigate, it shows that we don't care".

But he doubted that any minister was involved with the bogus movement. "I believe that no member of the cabinet is involved".

"I believe the person is not involved. But there are allegations, and we have to investigate," Adbullah said. He did not specifically name any ministers

Monitor facts

The deputy prime minister said that the person may have been approached by FSFM organisers but not involved as a member.

"The police will monitor whatever facts they can get, whether from letters or reports they had received," he told reporters after officiating at a function in Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.

Abdullah who is also home minister added that although current investigation might not prove anything, the police could not simply dismiss things as well.

Yesterday, DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang urged cabinet ministers who had aided and abetted the activities of FSFM to own up publicly and clarify their role.

The public are entitled to know why these ministers, including mentris besar and chief ministers, could be so gullible and irresponsible as not to alert the relevant authorities about the scam at the first available opportunity if they had been contacted by FSFM, he said in a statement.

The scam, which had deceived some 8,000 people, had reportedly raked in RM64 million for the organisation.

Meanwhile, Staff marshal Munsyi Muslim Yacob, who heads the Emergency Action Force of Malaysia (PTCM), said he would substantiate his claims that certain ministers and several senior ministry officials were involved in supporting the FSFM.

Report in one week

The Star newspaper quoted Munsyi as saying that he would compile the information and submit it to Abdullah within a week.

He said he had documents and eye-witnesses to back up the claims that FSFM, set up by sacked PTCM members with Nor Azami Ahmad Ghazali as their leader, had received "support" from high-ranking officials.

"I have done my research and investigations and am in the midst of compiling the information," he said.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had asked Munsyi to substantiate his claims; calling it a serious allegation.

Munsyi said his information would indicate that senior officials, some of whom had retired, had prevented early action from being taken against the offshoot members which allowed them to remain active and subsequently set up FSFM.

"I have lodged at least 10 police reports over the last two years against illegal activities of the sacked members using the name and logo of PTCM but no action was taken," he claimed.