I will raise with Suhakam Chairman Abu Talib next week Suhakam failure to educate the police of their human rights responsibilities resulting in police abuses of power, illegal arrests and violation of human rights of Malaysians


Media Conference Statement
- Ipoh Police District Hqrs after three-hour arrest for distributing “No to 911, No to 929, Yes to 1957” People’s Awareness Campaign in Ipoh 
by Lim Kit Siang

(Ipoh,  Wednesday)I was arrested by the Ipoh police this morning although I had committed no offence under any law and the police could not tell me at the time precisely what offence I had committed.  

I was distributing the “No to 911, No to 929, Yes to 1957” People’s Awareness Campaign leaflet outside the Pasir Pinji market in Ipoh when I was arrested by Chief Inspector Abdul Wahab bin Abu Rahman, 47, on the instruction of the Deputy OCPD Ipoh, Supt. Sab Hanafiah.  Both were unable to tell me what offence I had committed, with Sab claiming that I had committed an offence under the Sedition Act for distributing a pamphlet without a permit. 

I am not aware that there is such an offence of “distributing a pamphlet without a permit under the Sedition Act” and I have received a call from DAP National Deputy Chairman Karpal Singh confirming that there is no such offence under the Sedition Act.  

I have been released on RM3,000 police bail in one surety given by DAP Perak State Chairman Ngeh Koo Ham for an offence under Section 4(i)© of the Sedition Act 1948 in connection with distributing materials having a seditious tendency, which is completely different from what Sab had claimed at Pasir Pinji market about  the offence of “distributing a pamphlet without permit under the Sedition Act”.  The offence under section 4(i)© of Sedition Act is liable to maximum sentence of three years jail, RM5,000 fine or both.  I am to appear in court in Ipoh on July 5 on the police bond.  

The first thought that occurred to me in the arrest is that if the police could so blatantly abuse their powers, including illegal arrests on flimsy and even non-existent grounds against political leaders, how can ordinary citizens be safe from the police, who are supposed to protect instead of tyrannize  over the people.  

The police abuse of power and illegal arrest this morning is another blot for the people-friendly image of the police – so soon after the outrageous case of the  police killing of an innocent factory worker, Ramli Othman, 25, who died leaving a wife and three young children,  all because he did not have a crash-helmet when riding his motor-cycle in Puchong, Selangor last Sunday.  

I understand that the case has been referred to the higher-ups to establish whether I had committed an offence.  It is another blatant abuse of police power to arrest first and then try to find whether an offence had been committed and I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Norian Mai and the Attorney-General to issue specific directives to the police not to abuse arrest powers to arrest first and find out whether an offence had been committed later.  

I will meet the Suhakam Chairman Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman next week over the crisis of confidence and credibility faced by the Human Rights Commission and I will take the occasion to discuss with him the Suhakam fail;ure to educate the police of their human rights responsibilities resulting in police abuses of power, illegal arrests and violation of human rights of Malaysians.  

It is sad that the Malaysian police are the biggest violaters of human rights of Malaysians when they should be in the forefront to protect and promote human rights.

(5/6/2002)


*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman