KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The government’s special task force probing the enforced disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat has received two new members, following the withdrawal of a former police officer over concerns of alleged conflict of interest.
In making the announcement, the Home Ministry today said it had taken into account the public’s views that the special task force should have a more balanced and independent composition.
“In relation to that, the Home Ministry has appointed a new member to fill in the vacancy left by a member who had previously withdrawn and one additional member,” it said in a statement today.
The Home Ministry named the duo as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s inspection and consultancy division assistant commissioner Azian Umar and independent lawyer Datuk Roger Tan Kor Mee.
With these two new appointments, the previously six-man task force will now have seven members.
The Home Ministry also clarified that only one of the current line-up of the task force members is from the police, namely Datuk Zamri Yahya who is the director of the police’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS), explaining that he plays an essential role.
“His membership is important to help smoothen the special task force’s proceedings as JIPS has the power under the law to call any police members to attend to testify,” the ministry said.
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