Police report lodged against duo over CCTV in lock-ups

DAP Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng lodged a police report against Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan on their contradictory remarks concerning closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras in police lock-ups. 

On May 28 Ahmad Zahid was reported to have said that the ministry is recommending that the cameras be installed in police lock-ups as the recordings can serve as evidence in the event casualties take place. 

However, The Sun yesterday reported Musa as saying that the cameras were installed in most police lock-ups but the lack of a maintenance budget had resulted in many malfunctioning. 

Hence, Lim (left) lodged a police report in North Jinjiang police station this morning over the two statements. 

"So, I ask the police to investigate who is lying on the purpose to confuse the public and jeopardise the security of detainees in police lock-ups," the police report said. 

Speaking at a press conference later, Lim showed a parliament written reply provided by former home minister Hishammuddin Hussein to former PKR Kelana Jaya Gwo-Burne Loh, dated Mac 22, 2011. 

In the reply, Hishammuddin said that the government was in the process of installing the CCTV cameras in police lock-ups and interrogation rooms. 

A total of 827 police stations are spread across the nation, with CCTV cameras installed in 227 lock-ups and 36 interrogation rooms, said Hishammuddin. 

Three diferent answers?

In other words, Lim said that there are three different answers provided by the government and police on this issue. 

However, Lim did not hand over a copy of the parliament written reply to the police. 

"I purposely left out the parliament written answer because I want the police to do their job, to investigate...I got this from Google search," he added. 

As the parliament will resume sitting at the end of June, Lim said that the police have nearly one month to investigate and get back to him. 

Should the police fail to provide any feedback to him before the parliament sitting, he said that he will raise the matter there. 

Meanwhile, in the report, Lim also asked the police to provide a copy of the CCTV recording of the late N Dharmendran (left), in the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters lock-up, to the deceased's family.

He said that the authorities should be frank with the family if they do not have the recording. 

"If the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters doesn't have CCTV, then no need to talk about police stations in rural areas," he added.