Lock-ups can’t improve without more money, says Suhakam

Suhakam urges government to allocate more funds to improve lock-up conditions to show that it cares about everyone, including those who go through the criminal justice system.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has urged the finance ministry to allocate more funds to improve conditions in detention lock-ups in the country.

Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph told FMT that there was little enforcement officers could do without sufficient funding.

“To improve the older lock-ups, you need money to either renovate them or build new ones,” he said.

“Although I know the budget is always tight, I hope that in the coming budget we will see more money being allocated towards this effort.”

Last year, Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam was reported as saying that the majority of the lock-ups in Malaysia were in deplorable conditions.

In a recent report, Suhakam chairman Razali Ismail described as deplorable and hazardous the health conditions at the Ayer Molek police lock-up in Johor Bahru.

He said this after a visit to the lock-up on July 31, adding that the Ayer Molek lock-up, and others in similar conditions, should be closed if the situation could not be improved.

Joseph said if the government could improve the conditions, it would show the people that it cared about everyone, including those who went through the criminal justice system.

“These people are already being deprived of their liberty. The least we can do is provide minimum decent conditions. No one is asking for hotel standards.”

He stressed, however, that some new lock-ups had been built, adding that these were of “far better conditions”.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen said the reason lock-ups in the country were in such terrible conditions was because of the lack of will power to improve them.

“The poor conditions persist because we are still stuck in the old ways of doing things, making suspects uncomfortable during investigations and detention, only providing minimal amenities,” he told FMT.

“These people are innocent until proven guilty and it is an infringement of their human rights to treat them in such a way. The authorities, however, will say otherwise.”

Joseph, however, said that Suhakam had found friends among the authorities, including the police and immigration department.

“Everyone wants improvement. The poor lock-up conditions are also affecting their working conditions. It’s the finance ministry that needs to allocate cash for this.” - FMT