Cops to conclude probe into Ramasamy’s alleged links to Sri Lankan rebel group

(FMT) – Police will soon announce the outcome of an investigation into a claim that Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has links with Sri Lankan separatist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

“A decision will be made soon,” Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador told reporters today.

“If it’s true he idolises an extremist organisation, it is not appropriate,” said Hamid.

Last year, Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, a staunch critic of Ramasamy, urged authorities to investigate the DAP leader for links to LTTE, the group classified as a terrorist organisation by more than 30 countries including the US and the European Union.

Asri had then shared a picture showing Ramasamy paying tribute to an image of an LTTE symbol. Dozens of police reports were later lodged against the DAP leader.

Ramasamy had since explained that he was appointed to the LTTE Constitutional Affairs Committee, which he said was not part of the rebel group that was behind a decades-old civil war which ravaged Sri Lanka.

He said the committee was set up by the Sri Lankan government in the aftermath of a peace agreement reached between Colombo and the Tamil Tigers.

Police had in July last year questioned Ramasamy on the alleged links with the rebel group.