Rights group maintains call for all task force members to resign

Rights group Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged) has reiterated its call for the resignation of all members on the special task force to probe the disappearances of pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat (photo).

Caged said in a statement that despite the withdrawal of former Bukit Aman Legal Unit chief Mokhtar Mohd Noor, the force's current Integrity and Standard Compliance Department director Zamri Yahya has defied public outrage to remain on the "bogus task force".

"The mission of the Integrity and Standards Department includes acting as an Internal Affairs Department, to seek out and address potential misconduct by officers.

"Clearly Zamri Yahya, the serving head of the department, is an interested party.

"Caged calls upon Zamri to withdraw honourably, like his former colleague Mokhtar," said the group.

Caged said that the Suhakam missing person inquiry report released on April 3 contained various allegations of misconduct by serving police officers which must be investigated by the task force.

The group also pointed out that Suhakam's conclusions were drawn from testimonies by police officers who appeared before the inquiry panel - in 15 months from Oct 2017 to Dec 2018 - which had raised numerous issues of misconduct, including withholding information, fabricating evidence, acting without authority and making false reports.

"All the issues had emerged by 7 Dec 2018, 7 months ago. Was the department monitoring the inquiry? Have the five issues stated been formally investigated?

"Have Inspector Khor, ASP Mohd Azizie, CPO Asri, SAC Fadzil, Supt. Hazril, CP Huzir, ASP Supari and Sergeant Shamzaini been questioned?," said the group in reference to police officers who appeared as inquiry witnesses in relations to Koh and Amri's cases.

"Caged calls upon other members of the task force to recognise that Zamri’s nomination signals their collective (appointments) has zero public credibility.

"All should withdraw."

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday said there may be an additional non-Malay member on the special task force, and that a replacement for Mokhtar, who withdrew from the task force on July 2, will be named.

The Suhakam inquiry report concluded that the police’s Special Branch was involved in the "enforced disappearances" of Koh and Amri. Following this, the cabinet had in May, agreed for a special task to be formed to investigate Suhakam’s findings.

Koh, 64, was abducted by a group of masked men while driving in Kelana Jaya, Selangor on Feb 13, 2017, while Amri, 44, a co-founder of Perlis Hope Welfare Association, disappeared on Nov 24, 2016. - Mkini