DAP’s Teresa Kok has urged the government to take firm action against police officers allegedly involved in the enforced disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat following a High Court ruling that held the government responsible.
The Seputeh MP said the ruling on Wednesday made it clear that the government bore responsibility for the disappearances, and directed the police to conduct a thorough investigation and submit progress reports to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) every two months.
In a statement, she also called for home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to ensure that the police comply with the court’s order to resume investigations into the two cases.
“I also urge Saifuddin to take action against several police officers suspected of being involved in the enforced disappearances, and to exclude them from participating in the fresh probes,” she said.
“The home ministry and the police are urged to comply with the High Court’s order in earnest and to cease any efforts to cover up the enforced disappearances of Koh and Amri as part of efforts to enhance transparency, accountability and professionalism within the police force.”
Stressing that enforced disappearances are a serious violation of human rights, Kok said the government should condemn such police misconduct and ensure that it never happens again.
She also criticised Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar for allegedly dismissing the High Court’s decision, saying such comments showed a lack of respect for judicial independence.
In a Malaysiakini report yesterday, Dusuki said he believed that the Kuala Lumpur High Court erred in its judgments concerning Koh and Amri’s disappearance.
“I regret the attorney-general’s statement accusing the court of making an erroneous decision without thoroughly examining its legal basis,” she said.
The court in its ruling on Wednesday had ordered the government and police to pay a sum of more than RM37 million over the state’s involvement in Koh’s abduction.
He was abducted on Feb 13, 2017 while driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. During the trial, the court heard that five masked men in black military outfits had pulled Koh out of his car.
Justice Su Tiang Joo also ordered the government and police to pay a sum of more than RM3 million to Amri’s family for their failure to conduct proper investigations into his disappearance.
Amri, the founder of NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis early the next morning.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers said yesterday that it would appeal the High Court’s decisions.
