Malaysian mass grave corpses on forensic test

The Malaysian police are carrying out forensic tests to determine whether the remains found from the mass graves belongs to Rohingya or Bangladeshi victims, reports Malaysian daily The Star.

“Police are carrying out forensic tests not just to determine how many bodies were buried in each grave, but also if the victims were Rohingya or Bangladeshi nationals,” it said quoting Malaysian home minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He added that police is also probing to find out any possible involvement of the country’s government officials with human traffickers in the Malaysian-Thai border.

The Malaysian minister said that officers may not only be collaborating with locals but may also have international links in Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“We suspect that some of them are in cahoots. We are also working with the Forestry Department, which is supposed to enforce the area, including the boundary between Malaysia and Thailand. But I would need to discuss the matter with the minister concerned,” it said quoting the minister.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby Tuesday, Dr Ahmad Zahid said police is investigating the matter for possible murder, causing death or allowing immigrants to enter the country illegally.

“We do not deny the possibility,” The star quoted Zahid Hamidi.

It was reported Monday that Malaysian police had found 139 graves and 27 human trafficking camps in Padang Besar, and that the bodies were being exhumed.