PUTRAJAYA: Questions were raised at the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) probing the Wang Kelian human trafficking incident over why no action was taken for two months after the initial discovery of what appeared to be graves near the Wang Burma campsite.
The seven-member panel and conducting officers repeatedly grilled the 11th witness in the RCI, Assistant Superintendent Junaidy Md Saad over the issue.
In particular, they wanted to know why he did not take initiative in investigating the graves.
Leading the questioning was RCI deputy chairman Tan Sri Norian Mai, who as a former inspector-general of police seemed incensed that Junaidy had waited for word from his superior officers before proceeding with investigations.
Besides Norian, the panel comprises chairman and former chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria; former chief prosecutor Datuk Noorbahri Baharuddin; former Suhakam chief commissioner Tan Sri Razali Ismail; former head of research at the Attorney-General’s Chambers Datuk Junaidah Abdul Rahman; former Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Datuk Nazirah Hussin; and, former Public Accounts Committee (PAC) deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw.
The panel is assisted by conducting officers, Khairul Anuar Abd Halim and Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad.
Junaidy had earlier told the panel that he first went up to Wang Burma in January but only went to check the place once again in March after receiving instructions.
When asked if he took any initiative to do his own investigations in the two months from January to March, Junaidy said he did not.
Saiful: What was done in between January and March?
Junaidy: Nothing was done.
Saiful: Did you conduct any other investigation out of your own initiative to get more information on the incident?
Junaidy : No.
Saiful: Why was there no investigation conducted?
Junaidy: I believed this was a huge case and any action that I take must be in line with the instructions I receive. I also didn’t dare to take any action on my own initiative.
Junaidy said his first visit to the site had made him conclude that it was a major case which required a large team to investigate.
“Everything that I did was based on instructions that I received from time to time.”
Norian: The information on the graves was known in January. Why did you not take immediate action to inspect the graves and instead waited for two months from the initial discovery to make a physical inspection? What was the actual cause of the delay?
Junaidy: During the initial inspection, I saw this case as one which needs a huge team to conduct an investigation.
Norian: If that is what you felt, what was the next action taken by you to ensure a large team takes over the investigation?
At this point, Junaidy fell silent.
Norian: Your action is important. Did you take any effort? You didn’t, right?
Junaidy: Yes.
Arifin: As an investigating officer, you are responsible for investigating. You need to take your own initiative and not just wait for instructions. To stop an investigation for two months is puzzling. Some investigation officers even do not sleep for 48 hours, worried the evidence might go missing. I think you are trained that way.
Junaidy: I admit that I do that as well. But, for this case, it was out of the norm. I have investigated murder cases as well before this, but this case was a new and unusual one for me and I constantly needed guidance.