Zahid insists that detainees’ uniforms are lawful and 'proper'

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has defended the purple lockup uniforms of criminal detainees who are remanded to facilitate police probes.

In a parliamentary reply dated Nov 8, Zahid said the detainees' uniforms were designed to ensure that they were appropriately dressed.

"The special uniform for the detainees when they are kept at the police lockup was designed to ensure they are given proper clothes that are according to standard, are not detrimental to them, and do not endanger them during their arrest," he said.

The minister was responding to N Surendran (PKR-Padang Serai), who asked whether the police or the MACC planned to cease their practice of having remanded detainees wear purple and orange lockup uniforms respectively.

Zahid (photo) stressed that the inspector-general of police has the power to determine the colour of the uniform according to Section 97 of Police Act, which grants the top cop power to issue a “permanent order” or an administration instruction for the police force.

According to Zahid, the IGP issued a detailed lockup management and lockup uniform permanent order under the provision in 2009.

Surendran had previously accused the police and MACC of breaching their own standard operating procedures on lockup uniforms.

[More to follow]

- Mkini