The Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM) could be receiving foreign funds to finance their "terrorist activities", said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim.

According to Rais, who is also the de facto law minister, such suspicion must be investigated and he said the police were probing the matter.

"One is allowed to have suspicion. If the suspicion is there, then we must investigate," he told journalists at a press conference today.

He conceded, however, that the police have yet to uncover any concrete proof linking the KMM to foreign funds.

"They (KMM) are very sophisticated people. They may have received training beyond what we can think of. Their modus operandi is not simplistic," Rais said.

Rais had earlier questioned how the KMM could have obtained their funds to carry out their activities in his keynote address at a seminar on the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001 in Subang.

"If the present mind-boggling activities of the so-called Mujahidin Malaysia have taken root by way of foreign canopy, where do they get their money from? Could it be from very wealthy mullahs beyond our shore? How are their financial needs met? What financial transmissions may have been involved?" he asked.

"Naturally, these are internal security matters which the security people must face. But the fact remains, if foreign funds come in for illegal purposes, then all good men must come to the cause," Rais said.

Police lack skill

Recently, 10 people, seven of whom were opposition members from PAS, were arrested by police under the Internal Security Act for their alleged involvement in several bank robberies, the murder of state assembly representative Dr Joe Fernandez, and the bombing of a church and a temple.

Among them was Nik Adli Nik Abdul Aziz, the son of Kelantan Mentri Besar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who had been identified by police as the ringleader since 1999.

Rais described money-laundering as activities to recycle money that is linked to criminal activities such as drug-trafficking, kidnaps and terrorism.

However, the minister said the police are working very hard at investigating such money-laundering activities although they lack the skills.

The minister added that no one was ever charged under the anti-money laundering law and it was not easy to detect such illegal activities.

He explained that even Singapore, which had earlier enforced a similar law, had since not been able to prosecute anyone.

Suhakam report

Meanwhile, Rais confirmed that he had received the report by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), which found the police guilty of human rights violations at the aborted 100,000 People's Gathering in Klang last year.

According to the report, the violations occurred due to the "total denial and domination" of the police during crowd dispersal action, the arrests of persons at the scene and the treatment of the arrested persons while in detention.

"I've received the report. The deputy prime minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) and the police chief (Norian Mai) have also received the report," Rais said, adding that he had yet to read the report thoroughly.

"I'll let you know my reaction after I've gone through it thoroughly," he said when asked to comment on the report.

Rais also said that he would bring the report to the cabinet's attention at their weekly meeting tomorrow.