PETALING JAYA: Civil rights activists today welcomed the withdrawal of a member of the task force looking into the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat, saying it is a good step forward.
However, they said they prefer a reconstitution of the task force to make it credible.
Klang MP Charles Santiago, who previously criticised the composition of the task force, said Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should rethink its line-up as one person’s withdrawal would not address concerns of neutrality.
“I think the public outcry for them (task force members) to step down actually shows that the legitimacy of the constitution of the group is in question,” Santiago told FMT. “This shows that the public does not have faith in the committee.”
The Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights chairman said any member of the police force on the panel, whether actively serving or retired, should follow Mokhtar Mohd Noor’s move to withdraw.
“I would like to think that more committee members will step down because of conflict of interest and the fact that they know the people concerned,” the DAP backbencher said.
Mokhtar is a former police legal division head who made submissions on behalf of the police during a year-long inquiry by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) into the disappearance of the two men.
Koh has been missing since Feb 13, 2017 while Amri, the founder of NGO Perlis Hope, went missing on Nov 24, 2016.
In April, an inquiry by Suhakam concluded that they were victims of enforced disappearance. A six-member task force was later announced to probe the findings.
In a statement earlier today, the home ministry said Mokhtar had chosen to leave the task force, amid criticism from NGOs, activists and family members of Amri and Koh.
“His decision was made as he felt it was his responsibility to preserve the integrity and transparency of the task force after certain quarters questioned the suitability of his participation in the team,” it said.
There have also been calls for task force members Zamri Yahya, who was Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department director, and Abd Rahim Uda, a retired High Court judge who is leading the task force, to withdraw, because of conflict of interest.
Santiago said Muhyiddin should have appointed representatives of international anti-graft group Transparency International, the Bar Council, judges and lawyers.
“This should be done right away. It’s not good (to continue having the current line-up) as they have to start their work and meet to come up with their report,” he said, referring to the task force’s six-month deadline.
The Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham), which also previously criticised the line-up, said it was the right thing for Mokhtar to withdraw, but that there were other issues that Muhyiddin must address.
Proham chairman Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari told FMT that there had also been criticism over the inclusion of Zamri and Abd Rahim on the task force.
“Suhakam also said in its report (from the inquiry) that the Bar Council and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) members should be included on the panel,” he added.
Kuthubul, a former Malaysian Bar president, said it would be good if Zamri and Abd Rahim voluntarily withdrew from the task force as well.
“This is so that the task force will be seen as in compliance with the recommendations of Suhakam and not just ‘whitewashed’ for the purpose of doing it without really ensuring justice is done,” he said.
National Patriots Association president Mohamed Arshad Raji predicted that more task force members would withdraw because of pressure from activists.
“There’s been a lot of pressure on the members that have been nominated to undertake the investigation,” he told FMT. “So it’s quite right, after people criticised him (Mokhtar), to withdraw.
“I don’t know what the other members will do but since one has withdrawn, I suppose more will withdraw.”
Arshad also echoed criticism of the role of the task force. “There’s already been an investigation by Suhakam. Why do you need another investigation to look into this? It (should just be) a follow-up to what Suhakam had already decided.”
He also noted the comprehensive nature of Suhakam’s year-long inquiry.
“You don’t need to waste time on this anymore,” he said, adding that the sentiments and opinions of the families of Koh and Amri on the matter should be taken into consideration.
Meanwhile, civil society group Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (CAGED) said the home ministry’s statement confirming Mokhtar’s withdrawal only satisfied one of the many demands from NGOs.
These include defining the terms of reference for the task force, investigating police personnel who directed or failed to challenge police work on the matter and those who Suhakam believes should be investigated for falsifying or withholding evidence and making false reports.
They should also “drop the pretence” that the Koh investigation must be put on ice because “someone has been charged”, it said.
“This is because no one who has read the verbatim notes of proceedings believes the accused person can be credibly charged with kidnap or abduction,” it said in a statement.
“CAGED recommends the approach taken in the Anwar Ibrahim black-eye case two decades ago when the investigation of the police was assigned to the then-Anti-Corruption Agency, now the MACC.
“A similar approach was adopted in the 1MDB case and resulted in the ongoing trial of ex-PM Najib.” - FMT
What task force? After task force then what again then again and again. Just act on the RCI findings.
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