Speaking to reporters after his keynote address at the International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing 2016, Nur Jazlan said the stripping act was a “serious issue” and seemed to have been “intentionally done”.
“It was not a prank. It doesn’t seem like they were just having fun, but it could be politically motivated.”
He said he had asked the police to look at the charges to be brought against the nine men.
“They acted indecently; 99.9 per cent of Australian tourists in the country do not behave this way.”
According to Nur Jazlan, the nine, whose remand period expires tomorrow, were expected to be charged with public indecency and he had asked police to also look at other charges to be brought against them.
He did not rule out the possibility of the nine being charged tomorrow.
The men, aged between 25 and 29, were arrested about 5pm on Sunday, after they disrobed and revealed their Jalur Gemilang-patterned briefs to spectators at the Formula 1 Petronas Grand Prix.
They were apparently celebrating the victory of their countryman, Daniel Ricciardo.
One of the men was identified as an adviser to the Australian minister for the defence industry, while others were reportedly from well-connected families.
The Australian Government has vowed not to interfere in the case, as the nine are “in trouble with the law of another country”.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was reported as saying that the best the government could do was to provide consular support for the men.