IGP: Mangosteens came from various orchards

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have clarified that the supplier of the cargo of mangosteens on board missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was from Muar, Johor, but the fruits were not from there.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the fruits were from various orchards in the country.

“I did not say that the mangosteens were grown in Muar. The fruits were picked elsewhere and brought to Muar before they were sent to KL International Airport,” he said.

Khalid was asked to clarify the origins of the fruits after a report last week from a Malay daily which quoted Johor Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) director Faridul Atrash Md Mokri as saying that according to their records, no orchards in the state had produced the shipment that allegedly made part of the cargo on board MH370.

“This is not even mangosteen season. The fruits are just in budding stages and they can only be harvested around June,” Faridul Atrash was quoted as saying.

Khalid declined to reveal any information on the investigation into the passengers and crew of the missing plane, saying only that it was still an ongoing investigation.

“We have recorded statements from 205 people so far and there will be more to come,” he said.

Khalid was speaking at a press conference after attending a prayer session with Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple in Brickfields here yesterday in conjunction with the 207th Police Day celebrations.