Day: August 22, 2017

MP wants independent probe on self-immolation bid in police station

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — A man’s alleged suicide bid by setting himself on fire inside a Perak police station must be investigated independently and not by the police, said DAP MP M. Kulasegaran today.

Kulasegaran, who is also the lawyer for the man’s family, said the incident today involving 47-year-old security guard Baskar Rao is deemed to have been while he was in “police custody” as he was handcuffed then.

Kulasegaran said it would be “unfair and unreasonable” for the police to investigate their own personnel for the police’s alleged wrongdoing.

“Ridiculous as it may sound, the general rule is the police will investigate the wrongs done by the police themselves.

“I urge the home minister to order an independent task force and inquiry to ascertain as to how Baskar set fire to himself in the Jelapang police compound.

“I am sure the police CCTV was functioning at the material time which will provide much of the required information,” the DAP national vice chairman said in a statement today. Read more →

Detainees still have right to own clothes, MACC advisery board member says

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — An arrested person should not be forced to don lock-up attire that could cause prejudice against his case in court, retired judge Datuk Mohd Noor Abdullah said today.

Mohd Noor, now an advisery board member with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), was weighing in on a row between fundamental rights advocates and the authorities on several prominent arrested people who have been forced to wear lock-up attire.

The former Court of Appeal judge was reported by news portal Malaysiakini as saying forcing detainees who have yet to be charged with any crime was against the Federal Constitution.

“So when taken to see the magistrate to seek further detention, to investigate further if the person committed any offence, at that point in time, the person has yet to be proven guilty.

“As such, [the authorities] should avoid making the [arrested] person wear clothes which could make the public perceive him as guilty,” he was quoted telling a news conference here. Read more →

Govt confirms G25 book ban for ‘promoting liberalism and pluralism’

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News 

PETALING JAYA: The government has finally confirmed the banning of a book published by G25, a group of prominent Malays, in a statement released by the home ministry yesterday.

The book, “Breaking the Silence: Voices of Moderation – Islam in a Constitutional Democracy”, was one of 18 in the prohibition order issued by the home ministry, for containing material that may be “detrimental to security and public order, jeopardising morality and public interest, and corrupting the minds of the public”.

The statement, issued by the ministry’s secretary-general Alwi Ibrahim, revealed that the order was issued on July 27, 2017.

“This order specifies that the printing, importation, production, reproduction, publication, sale, distribution, issuance, circulation, distribution or possession of the publications are strictly prohibited in Malaysia,” he said in the statement.

The reason for the banning of the G25 book was given as “it contains elements promoting liberalism and pluralism which are contrary to Islam’s Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah (Sunni) teachings”.

It was previously reported that the ban on the book was made under the Printing Presses and Publications (Control of Undesirable Publications) (No. 12) Order 2017, and signed by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on June 14.

When news first broke of the book being banned, there was much criticism, given that Malaysia was projecting itself as a model of moderate Islam on the international front. Read more →