PETALING JAYA, May 28 — Many more are expected to be hauled up following the arrests of 12 policemen allegedly linked to human smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border. An overhaul within the Forestry Department, Immigration Department and police is on the cards.

“People will be reassigned. There will be a fresh batch (of personnel),” said a source.

“Statements from some of the (Forest Department) personnel have been recorded.”

The source said there were many levels of corruption going on at the border, from enforcement officers to village heads.

“Expect an overhaul of policing in the forest area. Expect heads to roll.”

The nation was placed in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after authorities, on Sunday, discovered more than 139 mass graves across 28 camps.

Malay Mail, had in an expose on May 16, revealed a transit camp used by human smugglers and possibly mass graves near the border, showing the extent of human trafficking syndicates operating in the country.

Authorities denied the existence of the camps until police said on Monday they had found such camps in Wang Kelian, a Perlis border town on the Malaysia-Thailand border.

The arrest of the police officers was announced in Parliament by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar when winding up the debate on an emergency motion on the immigrant crisis facing the country.

“Twelve police officers have been arrested, four by the police and eight by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),” Wan Junaidi told a press conference later.

“Investigations are underway to determine whether they (police officers) are directly involved or just facilitators.”

Wan Junaidi said the investigations were not only focused on the involvement of policemen but also forest rangers.

“I do not care who they are or what is their rank. As long as there is evidence of their involvement in human trafficking, we will take action.

“We will conceal nothing. I have asked for top officials from Bukit Aman and MACC to conduct investigations.”

Asked why the authorities failed to detect the camps earlier, he said the camps were located along steep hills making them difficult to be detected.

“The terrain is steep and remote. The authorities did not expect human activities there.”

He denied allegations migrants placed at the Immigration Department Migrant Holding Camp at Belantek, Sik in Kedah did not receive care or adequate food supplies.

“I will visit the camp and bring food supplies worth over RM60,000 donated by non-governmental organisations as well as from people who are concerned about the immigrants in detention.”

He said the government was in the process of identifying locations to set up tents to accommodate the boat people from Myanmar and Bangladesh.

During the debate on the emergency motion, Pakatan Rakyat MPs demanded a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) be formed to look into the discovery of mass graves in Perlis.

Wan Junaidi said the federal government would decide on the formation of an RCI.

The emergency motion was tabled by Alor Star MP Gooi Hsiao Leung, and approved by Deputy Speaker Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said, who said it satisfied all three requirements set by the House.

“The mass graves issue ... how can it happen without the knowledge of the government?

“It is a matter of public interest. It demonstrates the government’s failure in managing the country’s borders, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of migrants,” said Gooi, when interjecting during the debate session to table the motion.

Resource : The Malay Mail Online
Date : 28 May 2015