KUALA LUMPUR: Activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh are among the 10 per cent of missing persons who have not been found, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said based on the ministry’s statistics, for every 10 missing person reports, one remains unaccounted for.
He said in about nine out of ten cases, the missing person was found alive, although some were found dead.
“The one (out of 10 cases) that remains missing represents 10 per cent, which I would say includes this case (Amri and Koh),” he said during Minister’s Question Time.
He was responding to a supplementary question by Dr Abd Ghani Ahmad (PN-Jerlun) on whether the government would require reinvestigation of other missing person cases beyond Amri and Koh, especially in light of allegations of negligence by authorities.
Saifuddin said the government’s decision to appeal a court ruling related to Koh’s case was based on legal and procedural considerations, not a dismissal of the seriousness of the disappearances.
He said the judgment sets a precedent, meaning that in future cases of disappearances, those affected could sue the government if the police failed to conduct proper investigations.
“Under the court’s reasoning, police are considered responsible for failing to carry out proper investigations, which is cited as a breach of constitutional rights, and this was among the considerations for the government’s response.”
Amri, a social activist from Perlis, and Koh, who founded the Hope Community organisation, were abducted in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia inquiry panel found “common features” between both disappearances, including the use of Special Branch resources and coordination.
Following the inquiry, the government announced the setting up of a task force to investigate Amri’s disappearance.
Last week, High Court judge Datuk Su Tiang Joo ordered the government to pay RM10,000 per day to Koh’s family, starting from the date of his disappearance on Feb 13, 2017, until he is found.
The judge also granted RM4 million in general damages and RM250,000 in legal costs to Koh’s family. The total amount is RM37 million.
The judge also ordered the government to pay more than RM3 million to Amri’s family for failing to conduct proper investigations into his disappearance.
The court found the government and police liable for breach of statutory duty and infringement of the right to life under the Constitution for failing to investigate Amri’s disappearance in 2016.
The following day, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed notices of appeal.
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