10 people a day go missing in Malaysia

ASP Suresh himself proudly admitted that he used to work in the police assassination squad and had assassinated a number of people. And ASP Suresh personally knows the two police officers now on death row for the murder of Altantuya. They used to be his colleagues -- or should I say, his partners-in-crime.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

10 people a day go missing in Malaysia, said the Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein. And 60% of the cases have been solved. This means 40% of the cases involving 14,000 people have not been solved.

Considering that Malaysia’s population is only 27 million, 10 cases of missing people a day is quite a large number. That is the same as the number of people who die on Malaysian roads every day -- about 10.

So 10 people die every day in Malaysia due to traffic accidents and another 10 just disappear. And how many more die due to Malaysia’s poor health care system? Maybe the Health Minister can answer that question. Thousands die because of a poor health care system while billions of ringgit is wasted on white elephant projects and study tours.

Let me say it again: corruption kills people.

And how about the large number of people who die in prison, while ‘resisting arrest’, or at the police station while being interrogated? Add that to the list and the death toll is very high indeed.

But what I really want to ask is: how many of those missing persons are actually victims of police hit squads, or what we can consider as assassination targets? Yes, that kind of thing happens in Malaysia.

ASP Suresh himself proudly admitted that he used to work in the police assassination squad and had assassinated a number of people. And ASP Suresh personally knows the two police officers now on death row for the murder of Altantuya. They used to be his colleagues -- or should I say, his partners-in-crime.

Why do you think they were sent to meet Razak Baginda in the first place if not for the fact that they are experts in eliminating people? And did they not admit, in their meeting with Razak, that they have already killed a number of people? That was, after all, what Razak claimed in his Affidavit, which was submitted to the court to support his application for bail.

Even the judge, Justice Segera, shook his head in disbelief and said that the Affidavit convinced him even more that Razak is guilty. Of course, after that they removed the judge and replaced him with a judicial commissioner.

More than 35,000 people have gone missing over the last ten years. And 14,000 of those cases remain unsolved. Do you need to be a rocket scientist to figure out why?

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Police not being selective, says Hishammuddin

Husna Yusop, The Sun

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 11, 2010): Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has refuted allegations that the police are being selective when investigating reports made by the public, including that of missing persons.

He said of 35,473 missing person cases reported from 2000 until August this year, the police have resolved 21,344 cases or about 60% of the cases, including bringing those responsible to court.

He told Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) it was not true that the police did not act against the two lawyer brothers who were the main suspects in the murder of cosmetic millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three of her associates.

"For your information, six police reports have been lodged against the main suspects in Sosilawati’s case. All of them were related to fraud.

"The six reports made at the Banting police station were on Aug 19, 2005, Oct 20, 2005, Feb 20, 2009, March 18, 2010, Sept 13, 2010 and Sept 14, 2010," Hishammuddin said.

Investigations on the first and second reports have been completed while the third report has been closed because the complainant has withdrawn the report.

The three remaining cases were now under police investigation, he added

He also said there was only one previous report made on the disappearance of Indian businessman A. Muthuraja who was linked to the main suspect – dated March 29, 2010, at the Klang police station.

"This case has been investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code because the facts of the case have led to cheating. The suspect here was not among the main suspects in Sosilawati’s case or the three others.

"The report on Muthuraja’s disappearance was made only on Sept 8 by his wife Usharani Sthuraman after Sosilawati’s case has been discovered, as well as other cases exposed by the mass media," he said.

To Lim’s claim that police inaction has gravely undermined public confidence in police's professionalism, Hishammuddin said the police have carried out their duties responsibly, efficiently and professionally.

He added that the question of the eroding public confidence in the police force did not arise.

He also agreed with Datuk Muhammad Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) that it was a misperception concocted by the opposition that the police only investigated missing person cases when they involved big names.

Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) then butted in, saying Hishammuddin should not be so proud of having solved only 60% of the 35,473 cases.

However, Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said Khalid should just accept the minister’s reply although he may not be satisfied with it.

Hishammuddin then added that the public should not dismiss the police contribution in maintaining peace and order and sensationalise certain cases.

Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) then asked how much longer do the police need to complete the investigation papers which have been returned by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

To this, Hishammuddin said: "There are two agencies involved here, namely the police and the AGC. Both of them are working round the clock now to ensure the matter would be brought to court as soon as possible. I cannot report to you now."

Later at the parliament lobby, Hishammuddin asked the media to obtain the correct facts from the police media centre so as to avoid speculation because "sensational news could interfere with the investigations".