Another " standard operating procedure " ?!

Media statement by Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew, DAP NGO Bureau Chief

While Malaysians in general are still recovering from the shocking MMS video clip taken on a stripped Asian girl, we now have a picture of an Anwar look-alike victim, thanks to some of the black sheep in the PDRM.

I was informed by businessman Datuk Lim Kean Siew yesterday afternoon that one of his workers, by the name of Ling Kong Seng, is now being locked up at the Kelana Jaya police station, PJ for no reasons since November 20.He told me over the phone that Ling, 51, was seen seriously injured when he was brought to the sessions court in PJ according to one of his directors who was present at the courts.

True enough. When we were allowed by ASP Ranjit Singh to see him at the Kelana Jaya police station at 5pm on the very same day, we could see with our own eyes that Ling is in a very bad shape. His head was broken and his right eye was swollen with a black patch.

He was a picture of fear, still shivering and unable to tell his story despite of our assurance that he would not be assaulted anymore. When we sensed that Ling was too afraid to speak up, human rights lawyer Udaya Kumar requested that we could speak to him without the presence of any police officers.

But the request was turned down by Ranjit.After much persuasion and assurance, we only know from Ling that he was arrested by 3 policemen somewhere near his work site (where he worked as a security guard) on 20 November. He said he was sent to the Universiti Hospital by the Kelana Jaya police. He was not sure how many stitches were done by the doctor for his broken head.Ling will be brought to the PJ sessions court on Monday, 28 Nov 2005.

We will demand for his immediate release and we will certain get to the bottom of the matters to prevent more police abuses in lockups. At the rate is going, no one is safe in Malaysia.

DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok was summoned by the PJ police today for a statement. The police now wanted to know the source of the 20-seconds video clip. But they should really spend the precious time to look for the culprits who had forced the Asian girl to strip completely and punished her with the “ear-squat”.

Many days have passed and we have yet to hear any actions from the police.Home Minister Azmi Khalid has asked the girl to come forward and protection will be given to her by the police. We believe this is not necessary as the PJ police should have all the records of the girl, including her identity, address and contact.

They should also have kept the record of all police personnel on duty on the very day, including those who involved in the arrest and the investigation of the case in question.According to former Home Minister Chor Chee Heung, one Malaysian died in police custody in every two weeks (NST 15 October 2002). More have died in 2003 and 2004.

There is a drop in 2005 but the figure is still alarmingly high.It’s high time for all lock-ups to be equipped with CCTV, as suggested by DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng. Other measures should also be installed to prevent abuses in lock-ups.

It’s high time for the Cabinet to implement all the 125 recommendations made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry on police misconduct and mismanagement. It’s also high time for the Abdullah administration to set up the IPCMC proposed by the same Commission.