EXCLUSIVE The man who Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said assisted Putrajaya on projects involving national security is a convicted criminal in Malaysia.

Reliable sources from the police informed Malaysiakini that world class high-roller Paul Phua Wei Seng was arrested in Miri in 2004, during the period the Euro Cup football matches were being played.

One of the sources claimed that he was present when Phua was charged and convicted for illegal gambling. He was slapped with a fine.

After paying the fine, Phua left the country. The convicted criminal was even barred from re-entering the country during the World Cup in 2008.

According to the source, Phua, 50, is also known as “Sabah kia” (Sahah kid) despite that he is born in Miri, as confirmed by his MyKad details...