‘Charge immigration officers in court’

DAP leader ticks off Hishammuddin for freeing seven held under ISA on suspicion of human trafficking

PETALING JAYA: Perak DAP vice chairman, A Sivanesan, said that the home ministry’s decision to free seven Immigration officers detained under the ISA on suspicion of human trafficking gave the impression the government had something to hide.

“They should be charged in court instead of being released,” said Sivanesan.

The seven were arrested in October last year on suspicion of being involved in a human trafficking syndicate. Three are to be released today while rest to be set free at a date yet to be set.

Sivanesan criticised Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s decision to free the seven who said that officers have repented and promised to cooperate with the authorities to curb human trafficking.

Sivanesan said he could not accept Hishammuddin’s argument that the seven had repented as the public needed to know whether the officers were guilty of the allegations in the first place.

“By not charging them, it gives an impression that the government has something to hide,” he said. “And since they are not being charged they could be reinstated to their former jobs.”

“And if they are guilty, how can we reinstate them? To me, human trafficking is worse that drug trafficking,” said Sivanesan.

Deportation condemned

Meanwhile, Sivanesan also criticised Hishammuddin for repatriating an ISA detainee, allegedly involved with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), back to Sri Lanka.

He said, just recently, even the Sri Lankan government had admitted that civilians may have been killed during the final days of its civil war with the LTTE back in 2009.

“When the entire world condemned Sri Lankan government for its atrocities against the Tamils in its land, here we are deporting a Sri Lankan Tamil back to the country.

“Can Hishammuddin guarantee his safety? We are corroborating with Sri Lanka in infringing the rights of the Tamils there,” said Sivanesan.

Thirugnanasampandar Manivannan, 37, a Sri Lankan Tamil was deported to his homeland several weeks ago under the instruction of the home ministry.

“The least the government could have done was to discuss with local Tamil organisations here before repatriating him,” said Sivanesan.