PETALING JAYA: Businessman Abdul Malik Dasthigeer, also known as “Datuk Malik”, refutes any association with Jaffer Sadiq, who was implicated in a RM1.13bil drug bust by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau.
He categorically states that claims connecting him to Jaffer are unfounded and defamatory, asserting that he has never even met the Tamil film producer in question.
Speaking through an Instagram video on Wednesday (March 13), Malik expressed his belief that certain individuals, particularly within the film industry, are attempting to besmirch his reputation.
Renowned for his role in distributing Indian movies and organizing appearances by Indian performers in Malaysia, Malik is the chief executive officer of Malik Streams Corporation.
He reported the situation to the Dang Wangi police headquarters on Tuesday (March 13) and also forwarded a copy of his report to the Indian High Commission.
Furthermore, Malik disclosed his intention to pursue legal recourse against individuals who persist in disseminating or making slanderous allegations against him, with legal representation in both India and Malaysia.
Journalist A. Shankar stirred controversy on Monday (March 11) by asserting that a Malaysian individual was the mastermind behind a drug trafficking network recently dismantled in India.
Shankar, a former police officer, made these claims within the context of Jaffer Sadiq’s reported involvement in a RM1.13bil drug bust.
He suggested that this criminal syndicate maintained connections in Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia, insinuating that Jaffer’s superior resided in Malaysia and held sway within the Indian film industry.
In the past, Abdul Malik found himself in legal trouble when he and several others were apprehended during a joint operation led by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last year.
The investigation encompassed violations of various laws, including the MACC Act 2009, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, the Income Tax Act 1967, and the Customs Act 1967.
Following his detainment, Abdul Malik was granted bail shortly thereafter.
