Azmi Khalid has to put his house in order now:-)
Monday, 28-11-2005Today I went to the police station to make a witness statement. I was asked to make statement under section 112 of Criminal Procedure Code. Apparently, there has been a police report lodged on the MMS video clip and an investigation has begun and as such I am called to make a witness statement.
I have asked the police turned-lawyer Sankara Nair to represent me as my legal counsel and he accompanied me to the Petaling Jaya police. It just took about 30 minutes for the police to record my statement. The police just wanted to know how I got the MMS clip and I just repeated the story that I had told the media before.
After that I held a press conference together with Ronnie Liu, the former International Secretary of DAP and also Sankara Nair. I commented on the statement made by Musa Hassan that the police’s investigation will focus on the person who took the MMS visual (the whistle blower) and not the policewoman who made the naked lady to do ear- squats. I said this is another incident where the police go after the whistle blower and not the culprits who ordered the naked woman to do ear-squat. I said most people who had watched the visual will think that the policewoman is disgusting.
If we compare this case to the torture that happened in Abu Ghraib in Iraq, the American military authority conducted an investigations and put the perpetrators on trial and not the one who took photos. I expressed disappointment over Musa Hassan’s statement and I urged him to review the police lock-up detention procedures which forced women suspects or detainees to strip. Sankara Nair was then interviewed by the media as a lawyer as well as the former senior police officer. He said that there is no such provision in the lock-up rules and IGSO that demand women to be stripped and do ear-squats.
I was surprised to see both our interviews appeared in TV3 news, the news clip featured my comment on Musa Hassan’s statement whereas Sankara Nair be quoted for criticising the lock-up area is not safe and TV3 put him as the former ASP of Bukit Aman. I remembered I did not send press advisory of my press conference to TV3 the day before that, but the crew came and they aired our interview, this means the editors agreed with our views.
The front page of China Press on Monday today reported about the complaints of 32 Chinese women nationals (who has since returned to China)about they were mistreated abused by the immigration officers in Penang. They have been confined there for 14 days, and they were asked to immitate dog barkings and frog croaking, fed with rice containing maggots, made to jump on sharp stones for half an hour and those who refused to follow instructions will be hit by officers with a baton.
One of them complained that the immigration officers cut her apartment door and broke into her house at midnight, woke her and her husband up. The officers then handcuffed her and dragged her to immigration detention center, and then she and other China girls were sent back – clad only in their pyjamas and slippers on a flight.
All these complaints were carried by the Straits City Press in Fujian province in China.
After reading it, I told myself: Oh, my God, Azmi Khalid is now in trouble. He ought to put his own ministry in order before he comments on police abuses. It is good for him to defer his trip to China, or else I believe he will certainly be embarassed by the media there.
Now their foolishness and ego is going to cost Malaysia its image and a good source of income from tourism. The damage is already there as the story is reported worldwide. I doubt Azmi can restore much confidence.
Obviously the Deputy IGP is going after the person who filmed the video. The filmer is the person who jeopardized their practice in humiliating helpless tourists.
Comment by 周瑜 — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 07: 53.06
dear teresa ,
good work on the girl in lock up case but i was watching tv3 news tonight at 8 pm and u said that u were concern regarding musa hassan’s statement that they were going after the person who recorded the clip not the police officers that were conducting that bullying case.
2 things here that i want to highlight :
1 – firstly can u please confirm with the relevant authority is the squatting punishment a standard / known procedure?
2 – i agree with him that the person that recorded the incident must be caught , i am very sure that a male policeman did this to pass around to his friends,he must be caught for violating her.from what i can see through the video clip on tv3 the victim knew that she was being film.fortunately the clip fell on to the hands of a responsible person.
let me give u an example of a case in london a couple of months ago, this young teenage girl recorded on her cellphone the beating of a homeless man by her friends and she pass this video clip around and than someone reported it to the police.she was also charge for that crime.
i am sure that the person whom drop the vcd at your door step isn’t the person that recorded that incident , no person can been around the police lockup unless they are the police personnel themselves , unless u know something else.
thanks.
mohd azmi rars.
Comment by azmi rars — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 08: 15.13
1 ) From observations, our authorities are just a group of people who will defend their own friends and not acting with intergrity nor with professionalism. Most of our leaders truly not qualified for the job. Hence all this contraditing remarks. Just who is in charge of this now?And from what was transpired in the press and news reports,clearly nobody listens to Prime Minister and his Deputy.First let the PDRM release their official claims / findings / reports what so ever.And the SUHAKAM , The Chinese Embassy and those victims file it in court to challenge .Seriously, if the Goverment is really concern for the public. They must set up a real Complain Bureau regarding the abuse of powers by the enforcement agencies. Such as the police , immigration and the local city hall.
By going to China , what can he say ?..nor explain to the Chinese.As what is happening in Malaysia to the chinese visitors are not isolated cases. It is rampant.And happening every day.His visit and to meet the Chinese Gov and its press is futile.I am a malaysian , and what i saw with my own eyes and listens by my own ears . I fully Do Not Trust PDRM. I suggest that the police drop the word ROYAL from its name.
Thank you
johan
Comment by johansoon — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 08: 27.05
If the whistle blower also must be caught and put behind the prison, then in the future no more people will come forward and expose their bad deeds. How come the police woman is not at fault meanwhile the whistle blower are at fault to let whole world know about their bad deeds? This type of nonsense is going very long time already,last time is police beating people when inside the prison like Anwar case. I think there are still have alot of cases but nobody dare to reveal it since who reveal it will be put behind the bar. Typical citizen have no place to turn to because when you want to report something we have to go to police station, then they will have one another cover up if something we want to report.Personally I have had a bad experience with them when go to report police.
Touch your hear and ask yourself as a Malaysia Chinese Citizen, even our citizen itself also receive bad treatment when dealing with the cops.
I’m ashamed to be a Malaysian.
Comment by yuri chong — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 08: 28.26
While our Prime Minister tried to rebuild confidence, Musa Hassan’s statement will definitely ward off potential tourists. With the stripping and barking going on, I’d definitely travel somewhere elsewhere.
Comment by 周瑜 — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 08: 28.49
Shoot the messenger! What a crazy idea! In a quick statement, the Deputy IGP has further damaged Malaysia in the eyes of the world. He has done irreparable damage to our reputation. God help us if he ever becomes the IGP! Shoot the messenger! Bah
Comment by bayibhyap — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 09: 36.17
I am a bit confused here. How does a democratic system like ours function. Has it got a hierarchy? Who comes first? It is the Executive, Legislature or the POLICE?
If there is confusion here, God, we are deep shit!
Comment by tony — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 11: 02.28
Scenario:
I (WeRNoob) was shoot by a Cop & YB Teresa happened to video it over her hand phone….... she show it to the media, cops, PM etc.
In return, YB Teresa got pulled to court for showing the truth to the world ?? This is insane….....
Fictional & imaginary scenario, feel free to edit
Comment by WeRNoob — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 11: 10.45
WHAT IS PDRM’s Standard Lock-Up Detention Procedure?? Let’s not assume. Our Deputy IGP has insisted that it is Standard Procedure. Can we take his word for it? Can our Deputy IGP show PDRM’s official documents relating to such procedures to MP Teresa Kok to substantiate his statements? If such procedures do exist then it’s about time the Government review and change them. Otherwise, tourists and foreigners are will think twice about coming to Malaysia. Recently I have read about the CIA’s covert operations in sending terrorists to other countries (where human rights are non-existent and abuses like this occur) for interrogation. Is Malaysia one of those countries? I hope not!!
Comment by roctpe1 — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 13: 30.38
PDRM + Polis Datuk Raja Malaysia!
PRDM + Polis Raja Di Malaysia!
Teresa go ahead… Uncle Kit Siang go Karpal Singh go…
We RAKYAT is behind you!!
This DIGP is a shame to our country ( SAMPAH )
IGP where are you ? Noh Omar where are you?
Lee lam thye where are you? SUHAKAM….??
Comment by Ky — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 15: 42.55
Check this out…........talking about the lost of tourist income!
http://www.thailandfriends.com/index.php?op=modload&name=Journal&view=journal&juid=9900&jid=20657
Comment by freeky — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 18: 17.00
I dont agree with what Datuk Musa Hassan said in the press statement for the following reasons:-
(a) the police are the custodian of laws and order in the country and thus they are entrusted with the maintaining of laws and order in this country;
(b)thus the police will act according to the law and subsidiary legislation made thereunder and to do anything outside the parameter of the laws tantamount to the breach of the laws and order and may constituted an offence as provided under the law;
(c) the laws provided for the arrest and detaining of any arrestee are criminal Procdure Codes, Lock up rules, Police Act and any rules made thereunder and these subsidiaries rules or regulations will not have more power than the parent Acts;
(d) thus I know of no law or rules which empower police to punish a detainee let alone striping her naked and if this is the case the police personal had violated the Federal Constitution which provides everyone is equal before the law and everyone shall be protected by the law and any one is presumed to be innocent until it is proven guilty and the police officer may also commit the offence of criminal intimidation as stated by the police themselves,wrongful restrain and confinement if it is proved that the detainee did not commit any crime and there is no reasonable believe that the detainee has committed any crime at all, and also the very word or gesture is more than insulting to the modesty of a woman;
(e) the DIGP may be right that those are standard procedures practising for many years possibly before independent but that does not mean that whatever practised in the past till present are right and should be upheld as two wrongs do not make one right. As our society is advancing so the procedures had to be changed especially those procedures infringing the the laws and basis human right.
Thus there are two issues here (a) charge the person who ordered the woman to be stripped and do ear quart as it is against the laws of the country (b) charge the person who took the video clip if this video clips were not for the intention of retaining the evidence and for the purpose of reporting of wrong doing but merely for personal gratification for we cant charge a whisle blower. Lastly it is also a point to ponder whether the two IGP should continue to retain the post because if this incident were to happen in the west I am sure the head will rolls but unfortunately not here!
Comment by justice — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 18: 17.29
Point to ponder
Ever wonder why
1. Phuket was nearly swept away by tsunami
2. Bali was bombed twice
And yet the foreigners keep on flocking to the 2 place ? and simply give MALAYSIA a pass ?? If I’m a tourist, I’d also be put off by things like these !
To further add insult, both Thailand & Indonesia are said to be hell more violent than in Malaysia. Everytime Malaysia turned away a tourist, Indonesia & Thailand (maybe even Singapore) welcomes them with open hands.
The 200k chinese tourist which didnt come to Malaysia this year could well be holidaying in Phuket, Cheng Mai, Bali, or Singapore.
Comment by WeRNoob — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 18: 59.27
Do you know that there is a forum on the “Police Video Clip Scandal:Implication and Remedy” organised by DAP at Federal Hotel this coming Saturday 3-12-2005 at 2.30pm?Viewed it from DAP website.
Comment by yeahwho — Monday, 28-11-2005 @ 21: 45.21
Malaysia can just forget about luring back tourists from China. Sending the Minister and setting up an independent body to look into the polis brutality and undignified acts, if their purpose is to entice tourists from China are total waste of time and effort. China has already decided not to encourage her people to come here as tourists and spend their money here. Why get humiliated, there are better places to go and where their custom will be appreciated.
As for the polis woman involved in the ear-squatgate episode, don’t be too harse on her, she could just be following orders and may not enjoy what she is doing. She may just be exonerated simply because there are more skeletons in the cupboard which the higher ups in the PDRM cannot let out if she is prosecuted.
As for the video shooter, we just have to wait to find out what his original purpose was when he shot the video. Did he have good or bad intentions. For one, i would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and only wished that there is a “whistleblower act” around to protect him, ie if he had good intention. Of course we can think of all sorts of conspiracy theories but in the meanwhile till we know more, lets give him the benefit of the doubt.
For someone who knows so little about integrity and what it encompasses, it makes me want to puke when we read this in BERNAMA :: “Corrupt practice, breach of trust and abuse of power among government officers will not happen if they have high integrity” “If we lack integrity, people do not want to do business with us and foreign investors will not come to our country,” said Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Noh Omar, Tuesday.
Comment by LOne — Tuesday, 29-11-2005 @ 20: 24.14