From MM Online:
Klang MP: Task force investigating Pastor Koh, Amri’s enforced disappearances lacks credibility
BY IDA NADIRAH IBRAHIM
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Santiago said it was disturbing to see senior leaders such as Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dismissing concerns raised by civil societies group that had opposed the task force line-up Picture by Mukhriz Hazim |
Santiago questioned the line-up as it consists of individuals who are from the police force and also those who had worked with the police closely in the past.
He said the composition of the six-man task force formed by the Home Ministry failed to reflect Pakatan Harapan’s vision to uphold the rule of law.
“It’s ridiculous that the government’s task force to investigate these enforced disappearances is made up of police officers or those who have worked with the police."
“It’s a conflict of interest and insults the family members who have suffered for years. Why is the police investigating themselves?” Santiago said in a statement today.
He said it was disturbing to see senior leaders, such as Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, dismissing concerns raised by civil societies group that had opposed the task force line-up.
“Didn’t we, the lawmakers and Cabinet members who were once the Opposition, vehemently condemn such atrocities under the former Umno-led government? Has the cat got our tongue now?” asked Santiago.
Citing the inclusion of Royal Malaysian Police’s Legal Unit chief Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Noor, who had direct interest in the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) public inquiry of the case, and Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance department director Datuk Zamri Yahya in the task force as an example, Santiago questioned how the public would believe the task force could remain independent, impartial and credible in conducting its probe.
He also pointed that while Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said the government cannot possibly please everyone, it was about finding the political will to unearth the truth behind the missing cases of Koh and Amri.
“It’s a conflict of interest and insults the family members who have suffered for years. Why is the police investigating themselves?” Santiago said in a statement today.
He said it was disturbing to see senior leaders, such as Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, dismissing concerns raised by civil societies group that had opposed the task force line-up.
“Didn’t we, the lawmakers and Cabinet members who were once the Opposition, vehemently condemn such atrocities under the former Umno-led government? Has the cat got our tongue now?” asked Santiago.
Citing the inclusion of Royal Malaysian Police’s Legal Unit chief Datuk Mokhtar Mohd Noor, who had direct interest in the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) public inquiry of the case, and Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance department director Datuk Zamri Yahya in the task force as an example, Santiago questioned how the public would believe the task force could remain independent, impartial and credible in conducting its probe.
He also pointed that while Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said the government cannot possibly please everyone, it was about finding the political will to unearth the truth behind the missing cases of Koh and Amri.
“The families of both men have suffered enough. We are a government that was elected to power on the premises of reforms and inclusion.
“The least we could do is to respect the people who believed us enough to vote for us,” he said.
Charles Santiago is absolutely correct when he pointed out the disturbing nature of Muhyiddin's dismissal of concerns raised by civil societies group that had opposed the task force line-up.
Moody has been pathetic not only in this issue but also that of the re-investigation of the murder of Teoh Beng Hock (TBH), where in the same breath, he insulted TBH's family as grasping for money.
And recently he was lambasted by Suaram for not doing away with but only reducing the prior notification of assembly in public places (Peaceful Assembly Act - PAA) from 10 to 7 days - big bloody deal.
“The least we could do is to respect the people who believed us enough to vote for us,” he said.
Moody has been pathetic not only in this issue but also that of the re-investigation of the murder of Teoh Beng Hock (TBH), where in the same breath, he insulted TBH's family as grasping for money.
And recently he was lambasted by Suaram for not doing away with but only reducing the prior notification of assembly in public places (Peaceful Assembly Act - PAA) from 10 to 7 days - big bloody deal.
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murdered on eve of his wedding |
And worse, echoing Moody's usual pathetic attitude has been the Big Kahuna himself, saying hurtful dismissive reaction, forgetting it's due justice the families of the victims, Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri Che Mat and TBH, are looking for, and not for mollifying pleasing Kerbau (bullshit).
According to an NGO, the Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance (CAGED), Moody’s announcement of the tasked force has EVEN omitted the terms of reference for the body, which by that unbelievable omission, CAGED said, is sufficient for the public to draw its own conclusions.
FMT reported another delaying tactic by the Home Minister:
The wife of Pastor Raymond Koh has accused authorities of trying to cover up the truth behind her husband’s disappearance, after the home minister announced yesterday that the newly formed task force would suspend a probe into Koh’s case pending a criminal case.
Susanna Liew said the authorities were using the case involving 31-year-old Lam Chang Nam who was charged with kidnapping last year to “stop us from discovering the truth”.
“The ex-inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar and SAC Fadzil Ahmat, the head of the task force (formed in 2017 to find Koh) already exonerated him (Lam) from involvement in Pastor Raymond Koh’s abduction on March 15, 2017,” she said.
The Malays call such action and attitude jaga-ing 'member kita', whilst the Chinese term it differently as 'don't break other people's 'rice bowl' (to wit, the 'rice bowl' of those responsible for the disappearance of Koh and Amri, and the murder of TBH).
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jaga-ing 'member kita' |
I don't know what the Indians call such a disgraceful act of protecting the guilty parties on the basis of their (probable racist-ethnic) affinity with the current PM & Home Minister.
“Punde”?
Many accused the new Mahathir "inner" government of lacking the will, but others are less kind, implying it's all about race and 'city hall' (meaning 'member kita').
I am somewhat mollified to learn Lim GE has written to AG Tommy Thomas on the re-investigation of the murder of TBH, that it should be under section 304 of the Penal Code (homicide) and not the Kerbau section 342 (wrongful detention).
But doesn't that tell you whether Tommy Thomas is a so-called 'independent' AG, or an acolyte of the new Emperor Imperial?
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Tommy Vader, don't go overboard in the re-investigation Yes Sire |
Mind, not that Moody isn't aware - it's hard to shed his old nasty poisonous ketuanan skin, more so when his Boss has just said dismissively of the complaint regarding the composition of the tasked force with a Kerbau remark that the government cannot possibly please everyone.
I'm assuming critics actually want to get , if possible, arrest, prosecution and conviction of the perpetrators, and not just want to Hentam or condemn the Pakatan Harapan administration.
ReplyDeleteHow do you carry out such a criminal investigation into a crime by barring police officers from involvement ?
If there is possible conflict of interest, then you look for officers who , as far as can be ascertained, have not connection to the case.
If this were the FBI or Scotland Yard, I believe the SOP would be very similar.