AminulRasyid Death

Kit Siang says panel ‘powerless’

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Lim Kit Siang (picture) today described the government’s special panel on Aminulrasyid Amzah’s shooting death as “powerless” and asked the Cabinet to put an end to what he called the Home Ministry’s “guerilla” response to rising public anger.
The DAP leader also criticised the ministry for flip-flopping on the “powers” of the panel.
“The powerless Special Panel into Aminulrasyid’s police killing is neither fish nor fowl even with Tun Haniff as member, as well as other members including former Suhakam commissioner Denison Jayasooria, crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim, lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) chief executive officer Dr Michael Yeoh and UiTM deputy vice-chancellor Prof Abdul Halim Sidek.
“The guerilla response of the Home Ministry could be seen from the on-the-run chop-and-change as to what the Special Panel can and cannot do,” he said.

Lim had proposed a royal commission of inquiry to probe the shooting of the 14-year-old schoolboy and for such a panel to be chaired by former Inspector-General of Police Tun Haniff Omar.
However, the ministry announced today that Haniff would be appointed as a member of the special panel headed by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusup.
Lim said the Cabinet should be decisive in quelling public confusion on the panel.
“There is profound confusion as to the actual powers and terms of reference of the Special Panel which is neither fish nor fowl even with Tun Haniff as a member
“The Cabinet tomorrow should boldly and decisively put an end to such ‘guerilla’ responses to the police killing of Aminulrasyid, as the repercussions have reached far and wide as to affect public confidence in the independence, efficiency and professionalism of the police force,” he said.
He added that the Cabinet should take a “holistic decision” to establish a royal commission of inquiry into all police shooting deaths since 2005.
Lim also ridiculed Abu Seman over his indecisiveness surrounding the formation of the special panel.
“Abu Seman now claims that the Special Panel is powerful because it is empowered to scrutinise the investigation papers at any time without needing the approval of the police or Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“Where did Abu Seman get such powers? How did a powerless Special Panel become a ‘powerful’ panel overnight? On what basis are the powers of this Special Panel derived from, when the Cabinet had not met on the matter?” he asked.
Aminulrasyid allegedly tried to ram into police officers in Section 11, Shah Alam, which caused them to shoot him in apparent “self-defence”, in the incident which happened at 2am on Monday.
However, the allegation was refuted by Azamuddin Omar, 15, who was the lone passenger in the car.
The young boy died about 100 metres away from his house.