Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the investigation would have to wait because the accusations were directed at the current Inspector General of Police (IGP).NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAH
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the investigation would have to wait because the accusations were directed at the current Inspector General of Police (IGP).NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAH

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government would open a new investigation on the findings of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) on the disappearances of social activist Amri Che Mat and pastor Raymond Koh.

However, he said the investigation would have to wait because the accusations were directed at the current Inspector General of Police (IGP).

“We will have to wait until we have a new IGP (to pursue the case).

“After that, we will set up a group to study whether there is substance in the hearsay evidence used by Suhakam,” he told a press conference.

On Wednesday, Suhakam had claimed that Special Branch Bukit Aman was involved in the abduction of Koh, which was similar to the disappearance of Amri.

Suhakam commissioner Datuk Mah Weng Kwai said the decision was made based on the findings of its panel which conducted a study on Koh’s abduction.

Mah said the direct and circumstantial evidence in Koh’s case had proven, on a balance of probabilities, that he was abducted by state agents — Special Branch Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.

Koh went missing in 2017 after he was abducted by a group of men while on his way to a friend’s house in Petaling Jaya.

In 2016, Amri, the co-founder of non-governmental organisation Perlis Hope, went out in his SUV from his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm.

His car was later found at a construction site in the early hours of the following day.