ONLY the Attorney-General’s Chambers can clarify why drug charges against tycoon Vincent Tan’s son were reduced, Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said today.

The Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director said the police were only involved in the investigation process and not more than that.

“Any issue over the charges is a matter that only the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) can comment on,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters today.

He said that the police had launched a probe into the matter and had submitted the investigation paper to the AGC in December 2019.

He also noted that former attorney-general Tommy Thomas had already made a statement on the issue.

“We opened investigations in December 2019. We have not received any police reports on this matter,” he said.

“Whether there is a case or not, it is up to the AGC. We opened an investigation in December 2019 and submitted the results to the AGC.

“Our job is to conduct an investigation and send the investigation papers to the AGC. They will decide whether to charge or not,” he said.

Thomas previously denied dropping drugs charges against Tan’s son during his time in office, as alleged in a tweet by Edisi Khas (@ES_EdisiKhas).

“To the best of my memory, in this case, the accused – a son of prominent businessman Vincent Tan – was arrested for drug offences and charged.

“As is usual in criminal matters, lawyers representing the accused submitted written representation to the AGC to reconsider the decision to charge.

“These letters were brought to my attention, for my decision,” he said in a statement last week.

Thomas said he reduced the charges after having studied the representations and the investigation papers, reviewing the relevant legal provisions and discussing with case officers.

Last week, blogger Edisi Khas alleged that on December 10, 2019, Tan’s son was found in possession of a large quantity of drugs and detained under section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The post then alleged that Thomas had closed the case, stating that no further action would be taken. – February 28, 2022.