Zakaria Abdul Wahab
Bernama
Malaysian police Special Branch (SB) director Datuk Seri Ramli Sha’ari has been conferred Singapore’s Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Gemilang) by the republic’s president for his role in establishing stronger ties between the SB and the Internal Security Department of Singapore (ISD).
An investiture ceremony was held at the home affairs ministry here where its minister, Wong Kan Seng, who is also deputy prime minister, and representing President S. R. Nathan, presented the award to Ramli.
In a statement here, the ministry said Ramli had actively promoted ties between the SB and ISD, and under his leadership, the relationship between the two police branches had grown even closer with substantive exchanges of counter-terrorism intelligence and joint operations against the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) and other terrorism-related targets.
Over the last few years, it said, close collaboration between the SB and ISD had led to the apprehension by the Malaysian police of a number of Singaporean JI fugitives hiding in Malaysia.
The ministry said in particular, the SB had devoted significant resources to investigating the possibility that Singapore JI leader Mas Selamat Kastari could be hiding in Johor, following his escape from Singapore last year.
The recapture of Mas Selamat last April was a testament, both to SB’s professionalism and operational excellence, and to Ramli’s astute leadership and resolve in fighting terrorism, added the statement.
It pointed out that the SB’s counter-terrorism efforts and successes had helped to make Singapore and the region safer.
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=432082