Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today expressed full confidence in an ongoing police probe against a former deputy minister and others implicated in an international human trafficking ring.

Bernama quoted Saifuddin who reiterated that police have opened an investigation paper based on foreign media reports last month that exposed the alleged involvement of former deputy minister Mashitah Ibrahim, her husband, and others in Myanmar.

“Police have started investigations and I place full trust in their professionalism after a (case) file is opened,” Saifuddin told reporters in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.

He, however, reportedly declined further comments to avoid fuelling speculations.

On Thursday, a Myanmar-based organisation involved in exposing the alleged human trafficking ring welcomed initial reports that quoted Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain who confirmed that investigations had started in July.

Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung in a statement to Malaysiakini said apart from Mashitah, who has since denied the claim, other Malaysians were also allegedly implicated in the case.

Mashitah, in response, also lodged a police report regarding what she described as “baseless” claims against her.

Other than a police probe, the rights group Malaysian Humanitarian Organisation last week lodged a MACC report based on the airing of a clip from an Indonesian YouTube documentary titled “Neraka Perbatasan: Jejak Mafia Judi Online dan Perbudakan Digital di Asia”.

The documentary based on a cross-border investigation included a picture of Mashitah with a group of individuals allegedly connected to the scheme.

The documentary was aired a month ago, garnering nearly 90,000 views.

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