KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has give the assurance that investigations into the discovery of mass graves and human trafficking camps will be conducted thouroughly, regardless of whoever is involved.
Its deputy minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the investigations were not only focused on the involvement policemen but also forest rangers.
“I do not care who they are, or what is their rank, as long as there is evidence indicating their involvement in human trafficking into Malaysia, we will take action.
“We will conceal nothing … I have also asked for top-notch officials from Bukit Aman (Federal Police) to conduct the investigation, along with MACC (the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission),” he said when winding up the motion on the discovery of mass graves in Perlis in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
The motion was moved by Gooi Hsiao-Leung (PKR-Alor Setar) who wanted to know how such trafficking camps and graves could only be discovered now without prior government knowledge.
Wan Junaidi said the police had taken early measures after receiving information on attempts to smuggle migrants on a large scale, especially from Myanmar to Malaysia through land or sea, particularly in the northern regions of the country.
He said the police had organised three special operations known as ‘Ops Pintas’ which began in January 2014 and resulted in the arrest of 290 illegal immigrants in addition to 43 members of a syndicate consisting of agents, skippers or transporters involving Malaysians and foreigners.
“The operation prevent migrants at the border from entering (the country) and they were forced to take refuge in temporary camps built by the syndicate in the jungle along the border to wait for an opportunity to be smuggled into the country,” he said.
He said police had also arrested four police personnel suspected to be involved with the syndicate, besides eight other policemen who were detained by the MACC.
Replying on how the authorities hadn’t been able to locate the camp earlier, Wan Junaidi said the position of the camps, which were located along steep hills made them difficult to be detected, saying it was among the main factors why the camps weren’t discovered earlier.
“The terrain is so steep and remote, authorities did not expect there was any human activity in the area,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later, he denied allegations that refugees placed at the Belantek camp in Sik, Kedah, did not receive any care or adequate food supplies. — Bernama