2 taken to task over lack of initiative, urgency
PUTRAJAYA: Questions were raised at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the Wang Kelian human-trafficking incident over the lack of initiative and urgency by police in investigating the case in 2015.
The seven-member panel and conducting officers questioned why no action was taken for two months after the initial discovery of what appeared to be graves near the Bukit Wang Burma camp.
They grilled the 11th and 12th witnesses in the case, the former for a lack of initiative in investigating the case and the latter for a lack of urgency in speeding up the investigation.
The 11th witness was investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Junaidy Md Saad, while the 12th witness was then Padang Besar police chief Superintendent Rizani Che Ismail.
Leading the questioning was RCI deputy chairman Tan Sri Norian Mai, who as a former inspector-general of police, was incensed that Junaidy had waited for instructions from his superiors before proceeding with the investigation.
Besides Norian, the panel comprises chairman and former chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria; former chief prosecutor Datuk Noorbahri Baharuddin; former Suhakam chief commissioner Tan Sri Razali Ismail; former head of research at the Attorney-General’s Chambers Datuk Junaidah Abdul Rahman; former Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Datuk Nazirah Hussin; and, former Public Accounts Committee deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw.
The panel is assisted by conducting officers Khairul Anuar Abd Halim and Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad.
Junaidy had earlier said he first went to Bukit Wang Burma in Jan 23. He went to check the place again in March 6 after receiving instructions.
When asked if he took any initiative to investigate in the two months from January to March, Junaidy said he did not.
Saiful Hazmi: What was done in between January and March?
Junaidy: Nothing was done Saiful Hazmi: Did you conduct any other investigation out of your own initiative?
Junaidy: No.
Saiful Hazmi: Why was there no investigation conducted?
Junaidy: I believed this was a huge case and any action that I take must be in line with the instructions I receive. I also didn’t dare to take any action on my own initiative.
Norian: The information on the graves was known in January. Why did you not take immediate action to inspect the graves and instead, waited for two months from the initial discovery to make a physical inspection? What was the actual cause of the delay?
Junaidy: During the initial inspection, I saw this case as one that needed a huge team to conduct an investigation.
Norian: If that is what you felt, what was the next action taken by you to ensure a large team takes over the investigation?
At this point, Junaidy fell silent.
Norian: Your action is important. Did you take any effort? You didn’t, right?
Junaidy: Yes.
Arifin: As an investigating officer, you are responsible for investigating. You need to take initiative and not wait for instructions. To stop an investigation for two months is puzzling. Some investigation officers even do not sleep for 48 hours, worried the evidence might go missing. I think you are trained that way.
Junaidy: I admit that I do that as well. But, for this case, it was out of the norm. I have investigated murder cases as well before this, but this case was a new and unusual one for me and I constantly needed guidance.
When Rizani, who is now Criminal Investigation Department technical assistance division (D6) assistant director, took the stand, he was pressed by Norian on why no urgent action was taken over the incident. Rizani agreed that investigators should have acted with urgency.
Norian: When the incident was revealed, from the initial investigation until Op Wawasan was launched (in May), the reaction showed by police, regardless from district, state or (federal police headquarters in) Bukit Aman, was not as urgent as it should have been.
Rizani: This case was urgent and huge. I felt the action taken was very slow.
Norian: So you do agree that the action taken was slow?
Rizani: Yes.
Norian: Why do you think this happened?
Rizani: Perhaps those in leadership positions wanted to take care of bilateral relationships with Thailand, since this is a sensitive issue.