Kuala Lumpur ― Malaysian queer entrepreneur Nur Sajat had escaped to Thailand and was believed to have got help to enter the country illegally.
On Sept 8, Sajat was detained by Thai immigration, and it has been reported that she received help from a man who possesses dual citizenship both in Malaysia and Thailand.
Harian Metro reported that the man, who is known as ‘Wan Besi’ was responsible for arranging the process of smuggling Sajat out of Malaysia.
According to sources, authorities conducted a new investigation and found that Wan Besi was the mastermind behind Nur Sajat’s escape plan to Thailand.
A source told Harian Metro that there was an individual (related to Wan Besi) who took her in a vehicle and started his journey from his bungalow in Petaling Jaya in the first week of March.
“Once they arrived at Padang Besar, Wan Besi with the help of his team smuggled Nur Sajat into the train carriage before crossing the national border. We believe that Wan Besi has dual citizenship, and he is the one who is responsible for transporting Nur Sajat to a luxury condominium in Bangkok,” the source informed.
A source revealed that Nur Sajat was charged RM20,000 during her eviction. It is believed that the money was then distributed by Wan Besi to certain parties in Padang Besar who are in cahoots with him.
According to the news report, it was indeed Wan Besi who was active in smuggling activities at the Malaysian-Thailand border and made the KTMB area the main route for carrying out his criminal deeds.
The source also said that the individual has been arrested three times by the authorities in connection with a ketum smuggling case and most recently to the shooting incident at the border which resulted in the death of a General Operations Force member.
Nevertheless, the individual known as ‘Wan Besi’ came forward to deny the accusations that he helped the cosmetics entrepreneur to escape Malaysia through Padang Besar, as reported by Hype.my.
His lawyer, Zuhair Ahmad Zakuan who is representing the 51-year-old man claimed that his client is only a cattle farmer and was not involved in any illegal activities.
“My client just underwent heart surgery, and he is a cattle farmer. He is known as ‘Wan Besi’ among the locals. The purpose of my client coming here is to give an explanation and clear his name and I will discuss with ‘Wan Besi’ whether he wants to lodge a police report after this,” he told reporters outside the Kangar District Police Headquarters today.
Zuhair described the accusation as serious and baseless, as his client does not have any criminal records.
Kangar district deputy police chief DSP Mohd Anuar Junoh, when contacted, remarked that no directive or warrant of arrest was issued against the individual by PDRM in Perlis as Nur Sajat’s case was being handled by Bukit Aman.
In the meantime, Thailand is mulling over the decision on whether to deport Nur Sajat back to Malaysia.
The process of her deportation is currently ongoing, but it could take time as rights groups have urged Thai authorities not to deport the queer businesswoman as she could face the ill-treatment of transgender people in Malaysia.
Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said the government was “considering this matter based on the law and Thailand’s humanitarian principles”. /TISG
Read also: Malaysian transgender entrepreneur arrested in Thailand – Singapore News