KOTA KINABALU – Malaysia will live up to its commitment to help Thai authorities to track down the culprits behind the recent series of explosions in southern Thailand.
Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said the Prime Minister had given Malaysia’s pledge to the Thai government to assist in identifying those involved in the incidents.
“And that is what we will do,” he said after witnessing the landing of the 1Malaysia undersea cable system at Tanjung Aru near here on Monday.
Jailani said he was, however, unaware of any formal requests by Thailand to Malaysia to assist them in their investigations.
He said this when asked about news reports quoting security officials that Thai officials had asked for Malaysia’s co-operation to investigate a mobile phone used in one of the bomb blasts in Phuket.
The mobile phone was said to have originated from Malaysia.
Reuters, Twitter, AFP
Officials said the explosion did not destroy a portion of the mobile phone with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s serial number still visible on the device.
It was reported that Thai investigators had asked for Malaysia’s co-operation to identify the origin of the phone.
The Thai military said it had detained several people for questioning over a wave of deadly bombings at tourists resorts that killed four people and wounded dozens others.
No group has claimed responsibility, although police and the Thai government have ruled out ties to foreign groups, linking the bombings to an unspecified domestic issue.
Handphones were used to detonate the self-made bombs during the blasts that shattered the southern part of the country, including Phuket, Hua Hin and several popular tourist spots.
On Aug 10, security officials found two self-made bombs at Phuket’s Paradise Market and China Town Market after a tip-off, and successfully deactivated them.
