KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — A lawyers’ group urged the new Pakatan Harapan government to investigate allegations of collusion by Malaysian authorities with human trafficking syndicates.

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said in a statement that a change in power provided a chance for the authorities to uncover attempts to cover up the truth behind the Wang Kelian mass graves.

"With the new Pakatan Harapan government in power, there is a chance to finally cut through the lies and web of deception that have been spun to keep this massive crime under wraps,” its executive director Eric Paulsen said.

"It is time to investigate the rot of local authorities’ collusion with the human traffickers on such a large scale that has resulted in all these deaths and surely more that we have yet to uncover.”

Allegations of a massive cover-up by the authorities about the mass graves found in Perlis surfaced last year following an exposé by a local daily linked to the defeated Barisan Nasional government.

The report alleged the cover-up included attempts to suppress information about the initial discovery and destroying material evidence critical towards the investigation.

Then-Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the matter, the same paper reported.

In March 2017, then-Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in response to a parliamentary question on the mass graves said only four foreigners were charged for human trafficking offences.

The 12 PDRM officers who were previously detained in relation to the matter were not charged due to lack of evidence.

LFL described the entire investigation as a sham when compared to the length of the probe and action taken by neighbouring Thailand.

Wang Kelian is located at the Malaysian-Thai border. The mass graves were discovered in a joint operation.

"Our prosecution record on the most shameful human trafficking scandal in Malaysia’s history must be compared to Thailand,” Paulsen said.

"At least 62 persons including local Thai officials and a three-star general, were charged and convicted of human trafficking and other offences.”