Government should confer national honours on Sagadevan and Mathew on 43rd National Day celebrations, top up contributions and rewards to RM500,000 each as well as ensure posthumous double promotion for Sagadevan

(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): The Perak Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli is to be commended in taking action to fulfil his  pledge of offering land to the family of the late Sjn R. Sagadevan who was one of the two security personnel killed in Sauk in the Al-Ma’unah hostage-killing last month.

Last week, I had urged the police authorities to emulate the armed forces by awarding a posthumous "double promotion" to Sagadevan as the army had acted on my proposal on August 3 and awarded the  other victim of the Al-Ma’unah atrocities, commando Mathew Medan, a posthumous "double promotion".  I am surprised that the Police is lagging so  far behind the armed forces in doing what is right for Sagadevan.

It has been reported that the collections by Sagadevan’s family so far totalled RM225,139 while it was reported  last week that total collections received by Mathew’s family in contributions and rewards stood at RM213,448.

No amount of money can ease the pain and loss of the two families for the murder of their loved ones, but in appreciation of their sacrifices for the country, the least the government should do are:

• confer national honours on Sagadevan and Mathew on 43rd National Day celebrations;
• top up contributions and rewards to RM500,000 each for the two bereaved families;
• ensure posthumous double promotion for Sagadevan.

Undoubtedly, what is most important and uppermost in the minds of the two bereaved families is not posthumous "double promotions", national honours or monetary contributions, but that full justice is done in the inhumane killing of Sagadevan and  Mathew.

The families of Sagadevan and Mathew as well as ordinary Malaysians are still waiting for an explanation by the Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah or the respective Ministers involved, Home Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and Defence Minister Datuk Najib Tun Razak, why nobody  has been charged for the  murder of their loved ones.

Charging Al-Mau’nah members involved in the arms heists and hostage killings  under Section 121 of the Penal Code for "waging  war against His Majesty’s Government" which carries the dealth penalty or life imprisonment and fine is not satisfactory at all, and is a great disappointment to both families who expect more serious charges to be invoked like  murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, attempted murder, attempted robbery and firearms offences under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act some of which carry the mandatory death sentence.
 

(30/8/2000)