Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chief Razali Ismail and former Public Accounts Committee deputy chairperson Tan Seng Giaw are among seven members of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into illegal migrant camps and mass graves in Wang Kelian.
The RCI is led by former chief justice Arifin Zakaria, with former inspector-general of police Norian Mai as his deputy.
Others include former chief prosecutor Noorbahri Baharuddin, former chief researcher in the Attorney-General's Chambers Junaidah Abdul Rahman, and former Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Nazirah Hussin.
All seven were given their appointment letters by Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in Putrajaya today.
Mass graves of trafficked peoples and camps used by traffickers were uncovered at Wang Kelian in 2015.
Wang Kelian is a border town with Thailand.
The RCI has been given six months to look into the matter and present a report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
At a press conference after their appointments, Arifin said the RCI members will have a meeting tomorrow, to decide, among others, when the hearings will begin.
The RCI's terms of reference include examining all documents and evidence on Wang Kelian, the events surrounding the discovery of the camps and mass graves, and questioning investigating officers, witnesses, and other individuals deemed necessary.
The RCI will also review the authorities' procedures and see if any improvement had been made following the incident.
Muhyiddin said he hoped the RCI's findings will help prevent such incidents of human trafficking from happening again.
"We want to take the RCI's recommendations seriously," he said.
Meanwhile, Arifin (photo) dismissed critics who questioned his track record as chief justice.
"My judgments speak for themselves... My conscience is clear," he said, adding that all his rulings were in accordance with the law.
Previously, Lawyers for Liberty director N Surendran had questioned Arifin's appointment to the RCI.
Among others, Surendran said Arifin’s decision in favour of BN’s Zambry Abdul Kadir becoming Perak menteri besar during the 2009 Perak Crisis was criticised by constitutional experts.
In addition, he said Arifin also led the Federal Court bench that upheld the validity of the Sedition Act 1948, and the 2015 bench which upheld PKR president Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction in the Sodomy II trial.
He also pointed out that the former chief justice had received widespread criticism for his decision to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who appointed then chief justice Md Raus Sharif and Court of Appeal president Zulkifli Makinuddin as additional judges of the Federal Court. - Mkini
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