A ROYAL commission of inquiry needs to be convened to investigate allegations of a police cover-up of human trafficking and mass killings along the Perlis-Thai border in 2015, legal rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said.

Its executive director, Eric Paulsen, said the exposé by English daily The New Straits Times today confirmed civil society’s suspicion that local authorities have been in cahoots with human traffickers.

“In light of the exposé, serious questions must be asked as to why there was such an extensive cover-up and who the authorities were trying to protect,” said Paulsen.

He said Putrajaya must demonstrate political will to act and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of rank, status or connection.

Compared to Thailand, Paulsen said Malaysia had a poor investigation and prosecution record following the discovery of the mass graves in 2015.

Thailand has prosecuted at least 62 individuals, including local officials and a three-star general, whereas Malaysia has only charged four foreigners for human trafficking offences.

Twelve police officers were detained but not charged due to lack of evidence.

“This report further affirms what civil society has been saying all along, that the government is not genuine in tackling human trafficking and is merely paying lip service and doing the very minimum in order to achieve better human rights ranking,” said Paulsen.

Malaysia is ranked at Tier 2 in the 2017 US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

Malaysian authorities have consistently denied allegations that their officers were colluding with human traffickers in southern Thailand despite the publications of credible reports by Tenaganita in 2008 and by US senator Richard Lugar in 2009, said Paulsen. – December 20, 2017.