A Selangor assemblyman and several political aides were among 17 people who were arrested in Puchong early on Sunday.
Dengkil assemblyperson and Bersatu Selangor Youth chief Adhif Syan Abdullah was arrested after testing positive for drugs. He has since been released.
Except for a 36-year-old officer from of the Subang Golf Course council, the rest of the group tested positive for drugs.
Adhif, his political aide, staff of other politicians and friends, including six women aged between 26 and 53, were also found to have gambled in a condominium unit in Puchong at 4.40am.
It is learnt that the raid was conducted following public complaints of loud noise.
The raiding party, comprising police personnel from the Brickfields police headquarters, seized small amounts of ganja and ketamine from the premises. Also found at the place was a deck of playing cards and betting chips.
The political aides caught in the bust were staff of the Home Ministry, Prime Minister’s Department and Youth and Sports Ministry.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, who did not disclose the identities of those arrested, said conclusive tests would be carried out to verify the preliminary findings of drug use by the individuals.
“We will reveal more on the case in the coming days.
“Our narcotics crimes investigations department is carrying out the probe.
“I assure there will not be any meddling (by third parties) in this matter.” he said.
“After police recorded all of their statements, they were released under police bail except for a foreign woman who is still being detained,” he said in a media conference at Bukit Aman yesterday.
The foreign woman is believed to be an Indonesian.
Yesterday morning, Adhif had dismissed the allegation, saying that it was an attempt to sabotage him ahead of Bersatu’s inaugural party elections soon.
“I was at home. The time, date, location (of alleged arrest) I don’t know where they picked it up from,” he was quoted as saying.
He also claimed he had a meeting with his members in Dengkil before returning home on Sunday night.
However, later, Adhif told reporters that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“I cannot make any comments on the issue because it is under investigation. I have been advised not to do so (comment).
“But I can say that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time… But I wish to stress that I am on the side of truth,” he said.
In a statement, PPBM party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also clarified that one of the suspects arrested is not his special officer as reported widely but a staff at the party’s headquarters.
Separately, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq said he had received information of the arrest, and that his staff would be suspended indefinitely pending investigations.
“I leave this matter to the authorities for action according to the rule of law,” he said.
Following the arrest of several Bersatu members for drugs, chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the party will hold from making any decisions pending a full report from the police.
Qualifying that he did not have a full picture of what had transpired, he maintained that Bersatu would abide by the law.
“I have only heard stories, I do not know.
“We will have to wait for the full information before we can decide what to do.
“Of course, we will have to adhere to the rule of law. Anybody (who) breaks the law, doesn’t matter who, even if I break the law, I go to jail,” he said when asked by the media if the party would take disciplinary action on those arrested.