KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — The government is open to establishing a Royal Commission Inquiry (RCI) on the “enforced disappearances” of Malaysians purportedly involving the police, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.
But the home minister indicated that such a commission should not be set up hastily in a knee-jerk reaction to yesterday’s incriminating findings by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on the abduction of pastors Raymond Koh, Joshua and Ruth Hilmy as well as Perlis Hope founder, activist Amri Che Mat.
“We have to wait for it first and then investigate carefully if there is a specific need because of the report,” he told a news conference in Parliament, referring to the Suhakam report.
“We can then open the case if the prosecutors allow it,” he added.
Muhyiddin said that although he knows about Suhakam’s findings from its chairman, the government must wait for the commission to formally submit its report for action to be taken.
Yesterday, Suhakam announced its conclusion of an 18-month public inquiry that the police intelligence unit known as the Special Branch was behind the “enforced disappearances” of Koh and Amri dating back to 2016.
Mohamad Fuzi was director of the Special Branch in 2017.
Amri was abducted in late 2016 while Koh was taken in early 2017, prior to Mohamad Fuzi’s promotion to inspector-general in September of the same year.
Mohamad Fuzi is due for mandatory retirement next month, after 35 years of service in the police force.
