Inquiry into Batu Buruk riot

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will hold a public inquiry from Dec 11-15 into allegations about the use of live ammunition during the Sept 8 Batu Buruk riot in Terengganu. 

Suhakam commissioner Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the inquiry would be held in Kuala Terengganu and he urged the public to come forward to give information, documents and other evidence pertaining to the incident. 

He said there has not been an inquiry on the firing of live ammunition to date, with no other court proceedings pending on the issue. 

“Suhakam, therefore, found the necessity for a public inquiry to ascertain whether the use of live ammunition by the police during the riot was justified.” 

Muhammad Shafee, Prof Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim and Tan Sri Asiah Abu Samah would conduct the inquiry. 

He said the terms of reference of the public inquiry were to inquire about the circumstances of the situation, the justifiability of the police to use live ammunition on the crowd and whether it was a violation of human rights.