Media statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, 21^st September 2010: 

Question for first day of Parliament on Oct. 11 – why police inaction over spate of police reports for past five years against lawyer brothers suspected of killers in mass murders of Sosilawati and three others

My first question for the first day of the 34-sitting 2011 budget meeting of Parliament beginning on Oct. 11 will be in connection with the gruesome and heinous mass murders of cosmetic millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others in Banting on National Day.

The question directed at the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is asking for the list of the “dates/nature of police reports lodged against the lawyer brothers in Banting suspected responsible for the Sosilawati mass murders, reasons for police inaction which have gravely undermined public confidence in police professionalism and latest actions on these police reports”.

The new Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar has publicly admitted that Sosilawati’s case could have been prevented if fast action, including proper investigation, had been conducted over earlier reports of missing persons.

He said a task force had been formed to investigate all missing persons reports linked to the lawyer brothers, adding:

“There should be no more slacking. Those caught slacking or ignoring missing persons reports will be severely reprimanded.”

This is clearly not good enough as Sosilawati and the three others would most probably be still alive if the police had been efficient and professional in handling all police reports which had been made against the lawyer brothers in the past five years.

I join the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in congratulating the police for their efficiency in solving the mass murders of Sosilawati and three others, as the police have claimed that the mass murders have been solved.

Malaysians regardless of race, religion or political affiliation demands speedy justice to be meted out to the mass murderers who should not expect any mercy for their horrific crimes.

With the police halting evidence gathering at the farm in Ladang Gadong where the murders allegedly took place and Sungai Panchau where their bodies were believed to have been burnt and dumped, the time has come for the authorities to address the other public concern arising from the mass murders of Sosilawati and the three others.

This is the shocking police inaction over numerous police reports lodged against the two lawyer brothers linked to the Sosilawati mass murders going as far back as 2005, involving fraud, criminal breach of trust, missing persons and murder, and the public concern that Sosilawati and the three other victims would still be alive today if the police had acted efficiently and professionally on these police reports.

There can be no denial that the efficiency of the police action in solving the Sosilawati mass murders cannot undo the grave damage to the country’s investment climate caused by adverse national and international media reports of how serious and rampant crimes had been allowed to go unchecked – with foreign media reports speculating that up to 20 people both local and foreign could have been killed and their bodies dumped into a river based on 300 bone fragments recovered in Sungai Panchau.

The Banting mass murders and its various implications should be on the Cabinet agenda tomorrow.

As an internal police investigation is completely inadequate, unsatisfactory and unacceptable to restore both public and investor confidence, I call for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to establish why no action had been taken on earlier police reports dating as far back as 2005 against the lawyer brothers linked to the mass murders of Sosilawati and three others.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor