NGOs want Saifuddin sacked for ‘multiple failures’

Civil society groups are demanding that Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail be removed from office, citing a litany of failures in handling matters surrounding the death of the political aide Teoh Beng Hock and other human rights issues.

They also condemned the minister’s statement yesterday defending police violence during a march in Teoh’s memory on July 15, where a scuffle broke out between the police and the rally’s participants.

“The home minister has wide-ranging powers and heads enforcement agencies. We emphasise that Malaysians need a home minister who respects human rights and upholds justice, not an oppressor who threatens the safety of the people.

“For these reasons, Saifuddin should be sacked immediately as home minister,” they said in a statement today.

The statement is signed by 23 groups, including the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall’s civil rights committee and youth wing, Empower, Borneo Komrad, Suaram, Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture, and eight university student groups.

Why no murder investigation?

They said Saifuddin had failed to order a murder investigation despite a Court of Appeal finding in 2014 that Teoh’s death in 2009 was caused by one or several unknown persons including MACC officers.

Instead, the police had been investigating Teoh’s death as a case of “wrongful confinement”. In a parliamentary reply, Saifuddin said the investigation paper had been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

They accused Saifuddin of being lackadaisical in handling the issue and never responding to Teoh’s family’s demands, which necessitated the three-day relay march that culminated in handing over memorandums to MPs outside the Parliament building on July 15.

“Teoh’s family do not need the minister’s sympathy but stern and efficient action in the police investigation on Teoh’s death. Talk or private apologies are meaningless to Teoh’s family after 15 years especially with Pakatan Harapan wielding executive powers,” they said.

Police still have free hand

The groups also accused Saifuddin of failing to review the police’s standard operating procedures for handling marches and peaceful assemblies, which resulted in the altercation between the police and participants of the march on July 15.

They pointed out there is nothing new about civil society groups handing over memorandums and Teoh’s family had already done it before when Najib Abdul Razak was the prime minister.

In addition, Harapan leaders themselves have been on the receiving end of being blocked by the police while marching to Parliament and of police brutality at rallies such as Bersih 2.0.

In these instances, Harapan had condemned the police’s actions.

In contrast, when commenting on the altercation on July 15, Saifuddin said yesterday that he sympathised with what happened to Teoh but the police were merely carrying out their duties to maintain public order.

“Whether handing over memorandums outside Parliament’s gates or the Bersih 2.0 rally, these are democratic practices that should be celebrated. The right to assemble peacefully under the Federal Constitution should be respected and not abused.

“The Madani government should be more progressive in facilitating rallies or peaceful assemblies since it is led by reformists, not the opposite,” the groups said.

The list goes on

The groups also listed multiple other instances as examples of Saifuddin’s supposed human rights failures.

These include the issue of police misconduct and brutality, deaths in custody, the oppression of Bajau Laut communities, detentions without trial, citizenship issues, the use of the Sedition Act 1948, and intimidation against activists.

“Saifuddin’s stance and responses towards these issues only maintain the status quo and neglect recommendations by civil society groups and affected communities alike.

“He merely displays the arrogance of power and implements things only based on his whims and personal political interests.

“It is contrary to the values of Malaysia Madani that should be open and prioritise the interests of the people.”

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