KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — A rights group said it was untenable for Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Fuzi Harun to remain on duty pending investigations into the alleged “enforced disappearance” of activists by his agency.
The Suaram group pointed out that Fuzi had been the director of the Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) Special Branch that was implicated in the abduction of activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh along with two others.
“With such severe allegation against PDRM, specifically the Special Branch, the person in charge of the Special Branch at the time, who is now also the IGP cannot continue to serve in PDRM.
“Any delay in suspension of the IGP would only be an insult to the rule of law and continue to tarnish the reputation of PDRM,” the group said in a statement.
Suaram argued that Fuzi must also take the blame for his force’s continued failure to identify the parties responsible for the abductions as well as its seeming inability to make headway into the investigations over two years’ old.
Allowing Fuzi to remain in active duty while investigations are carried out on the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) damning findings would irreparably harm the office of the IGP and the police, it added.
On Wednesday, Suhakam announced the findings of its inquiry into the abduction of Amri, Koh as well as two other activists in which it concluded “enforced disappearance” with the complicity of state agents, specifically the Special Branch.
Fuzi had been the director of the police intelligence unit at the material times, prior to succeeding Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar as the IGP.
Malay Mail approached Fuzi for comment on the day of the Suhakam announcement, but he declined by saying he needed to examine the commission’s report first.
He has yet to comment publicly.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad previously said there was no need for Fuzi to step down as he was already due to retire this May.
