I've never met Jaffer Sadiq, says businessman 'Datuk Malik'

PETALING JAYA: Businessman Abdul Malik Dasthigeer, who is also known as "Datuk Malik", denies he has any ties to Jaffer Sadiq, who was linked to a RM1.13bil drug bust by India's Narcotics Control Bureau.

He said statements linking him to Jaffer were defamatory, adding that he had never met the Tamil film producer.

"There are some who want to tarnish my name, especially from the film industry," he said in an Instagram video on Wednesday (March 13).

Malik is well-known for distributing Indian movies and organising performances by Indian artistes in Malaysia.

The Malik Streams Corporation chief executive officer said he had lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters on Tuesday (March 13), and sent a copy of it to the Indian High Commission.

"I have also informed my lawyers both in India and Malaysia to take legal action against those who continue to share or make slanderous statements against me," he said.

On Monday (March 11), a journalist from India claimed that a Malaysian was the boss of a drug kingpin who was recently nabbed in India.

Journalist A. Shankar, a former police officer, made the claim while commenting on the case of politician and Tamil film producer Jaffer Sadiq, who was linked to a RM1.13bil drug bust.

Shankar claimed that the syndicate had links in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia and that Jaffer's boss was in Malaysia and was influential in the Indian cinema industry.

Last year, Abdul Malik and several others were detained in a multi-agency task force operation led by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The case was investigated under the MACC Act 2009, the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, Income Tax Act 1967 and Customs Act 1967.

Abdul Malik was released on bail several days later.