Koh (left) and Amri
PUTRAJAYA: A special task force will be set up to look into the findings by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) that the police were behind the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Cabinet had agreed to this and members of the task force would be announced soon.
"The report by Suhakam is serious, and the task force will be responsible to view it.
"Once that is done, the task force will recommend actions that should be taken," said Muhyiddin, after attending buka puasa with Home Ministry staff on Thursday (May 23).
He said several names had been listed as task force members, and they include representatives from the police.
"Yes, the police will also be involved in the task force, but we will have to find individuals who are not directly related to the case.
"For instance, since the allegations are against the Special Branch, we will not name interested parties as task force members," he said.
In April, Suhakam had concluded that both Amri and Pastor Koh were victims of forced disappearances and the unanimous decision in both cases were made after lengthy discussions and deliberations.
Suhakam said direct and circumstantial evidence in both cases proved on balance of probability that they were abducted by state agents, namely the Special Branch of Bukit Aman.
It also urged a special task force to be formed to reopen both cases as enforced disappearances, rather than cases of missing persons.
Amri, who was the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm on Nov 25, 2016 in his SUV.
Pastor Koh, who founded the NGO Harapan Komuniti, was believed to have been abducted by a group of men along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya on Feb 13, 2017, while on his way to a friend's house.
On calls for leaders who are not up to mark to step down, Muhyiddin said Datuk A. Kadir Jasin was entitled to his opinion.
"It is also up to those who feel they should not no longer be in Cabinet to quit. I don't know who are the individuals (Kadir is referring to) but if it was me, I would resign," he said.
Muhyiddin said it was also the prerogative of the Prime Minister to take any measures or action against those who do not perform.
Kadir, who is the Prime Minister’s special media adviser, wrote in his blog that leaders incapable of fulfilling their responsibilities should just quit.
He said they include ministers, mentris besar, chief ministers and state executive councillors who are not up to mark even a year after assuming their positions.
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