The Dato and Dato Sri titles are meant to be titles that honour the individuals to whom it is bestowed upon. Curiously enough, the actions of some individuals don’t match the honour.
The police recently arrested Dato Sri Nicky Liow Soon Hee, a 33-year-old businessman. He is allegedly involved in money laundering and a commercial crime syndicate.
The need for his arrest came after Johor police conducted a raid in Puchong on 20th March. 12 individuals were apprehended, including another ‘Dato Sri’, and the police believed they were linked to the syndicate led by the suspect. “This is a huge syndicate and it involves a lot of cheating and scams,” Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said. “The suspect is an influential person and has many connections with public figures including officers from enforcement agencies.”
Datuk Ayob stated that the suspect’s last known address was Unit 1009, Trigon Residence, Puchong, Selangor. They believed he was still in the state and in an effort to catch him, they camped his apartment. The operation involved over a hundred men from the Bukit Aman and Selangor police headquarters as well as the Johor police.
The police surrounded the apartment and set up roadblocks at intersections leading in and out of the building. Determined not to let him escape, they thoroughly searched the apartment building as they knew he owned several units in the apartment. Cars entering and leaving the building were also searched. They eventually increased the police force and called in the dog team for assistance.
After 18 hours of searching, the suspect was finally found. However, he was not found at his apartment. Instead, he was located in a nightclub at Scott Garden on Old Klang Road. The suspect was apparently having a drink with his two younger brothers and his right-hand man. The group was arrested and escorted from the premises by the police.
The founder of the Winner Dynasty Group was wanted for investigation under Sections 130 V to 130 ZB of the Penal Code for offences related to organised crime. Two investigation papers were opened under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) 2001 and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA).
The suspect was previously arrested for assaulting two on-duty RELA members at the Kou Ong Yah temple in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
Sources: China Press, New Straits Times
