Caged prepared to face ex-IGP Khalid’s legal suit over allegations
By: K Pragalath
PUCHONG: Human rights NGO, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and human rights advocacy group Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged) are prepared to face any legal challenges from former IGP, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.
“We are happy to face him (in court). We would not retract our statement. So let him…” said Suaram executive director and Caged member Sevan Doraisamy in a WhatsApp message to The Leaders Online.
He said this in response to the legal threat made by Khalid that was reported by online portal, Malay Mail.
“I find that Caged’s remark, blindly accusing me of lying to the nation, and I believe that the NGO is accusing me of this, by way of my testimony to the Suhakam inquiry panelists, to be malicious and defamatory.
“In my defence, I would like to clearly state here, that I was not lying in my testimony. I stand by what I had stated to the panel members and I still do,” Khalid said.
“I was at all times, prepared to attend the inquiry and testify and therefore, this public lynching being done by Caged is grossly unfair to me.
“I demand that they retract their statement and issue an immediate apology. I will consider taking legal action should Caged refuse to do so,” Khalid said.
Earlier today Caged called on the Pakatan Harapan government to prove its commitment to institutional reform by taking immediate action on those perpetrators involved in the “enforced disappearances”.
Among others, it urged the home minister suspend the police officers in charge of those cases within the week, including incumbent IGP Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun; the latter was head of the Special Branch at the time Koh and Amri were taken forcibly by unknown men.
Caged also demanded the government investigate Khalid whom it claimed “lied to the nation, and publicly rebuke the police force for boycotting the Suhakam’s announcement and release of its decision yesterday”.
