Police should explain why nobody has been charged for the murder of Lunas State Assemblyman Joe Fernandez although the government has virtually pinned the responsibility on the KMM

Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang 

(Petaling Jaya,  Tuesday): The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said in Lumut yesterday that Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is in the dark about what his son, Nik Adli, was doing and that his son was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) because he was a member of Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) involved in activities to topple the government through violence.

He said: "The extent of his involvement, we have not determined yet. He was detained because he  was a member of Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia."

He said that before the existence of the group, attempts to bomb certain places or attack police stations were unheard of. But now, such cases were on the rise and these included the murder of a Barisan Nasional Assemblyman for Lunas, Dr. Joe Fernandez.

This is the first time that any government leader had directly pinned the killing of Joe Fernandez on any particular person or group - although in June, when Norian Mai announced the arrest of nine “suspected militants” following the botched Southern Bank robbery in Petaling Jaya on May 18, this group was implicated in Joe Fernandez’s  murder as well as 17 major criminal cases including murders, attempted murders, mayhem and robberies reported since 1998.

Since the government is now so certain as to the person or persons responsible for the killing of Joe Fernandez, the police should explain why  nobody has been charged for his  murder although the government has virtually pinned the responsibility on the KMM.

Is the the IGP prepared to make a full public statement on the outcome of police investigations into the murder of Joe Fernandez?

If the government and police have no proof of the killer or killers responsible for the murder of Joe Fernandez which could withstand public scrutiny, it would be most unfair to use it to create the political atmosphere to justify the latest resort to the infamous detention-without-trial ISA law.

(7/8/2001)


*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman