CCTVs were not working, Suhakam inquiry told
> Possible routes taken by Pastor Koh’s abductors not traceable: Witness
KUALA LUMPUR: Police could not acquire CCTV recordings along the possible routes taken by Pastor Raymond Koh’s (pix) abductors as they were not functioning, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (Suhakam) inquiry was told yesterday.
Witness ASP Supari Mohammad said the police had requested to acquire the footages soon after they received a report of Koh’s abduction.
Supari, who is the case’s investigation officer, confirmed that there were several CCTVs in place in one of the intersections possibly used by the abductors, operated by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and traffic police.
“I have written a letter to the MBPJ and was informed that the CCTVs were not working. MBPJ said they were being upgraded.
With regard to the traffic camera, he said, “it is only activated when there is a violation of traffic laws such as beating the red light,” he told the three-panel inquiry chaired by Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai.
Commissioners Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh also sat as panellists at the inquiry held on the disappearance of Koh, social activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Joshua and his wife, Ruth Hilmi.
Supari said police had previously highlighted to the MBPJ that many of the CCTVs maintained by the local council were not working.
“But they gave the excuse that the maintenance was too costly ... we want the CCTVs to help fight crime but most of the time they are broken down or in the process of being upgraded.”
Another CCTV installed on Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong was also found to be nonfunctioning when police went to acquire the recording, Supari said.
“We had also written to LLM (Malaysian Highway Authority) and were informed that it was not functioning.”
Supari, however, could not present the replies from LLM and MBPJ.
“I cannot show you the evidence here. The matter is still under investigation and if I reveal the evidence, it will jeopardise my investigations.”
The inquiry was informed that the CCTVs operated by MBPJ were also linked to an operation room at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.