PETALING JAYA: A DAP MP and lawyer has described as “ill-advised and premature” the inspector-general of police’s condemnation of allegations of misconduct against suspected sympathisers of the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militant group.
Ramkarpal Singh, who is representing three suspects charged with terrorism over their alleged links to LTTE, said the allegations were made by the detainees in court on Friday, and Abdul Hamid Bador’s statement was made yesterday, after the implicated officers were questioned.
“It is unlikely that the detainees have been questioned yet and I urge Hamid to indicate if they have.
“If they have not, it cannot be said that investigations into the said complaints are complete,” the MP for Bukit Gelugor and chairman of DAP’s National Legal Bureau said in a statement.
On Friday, it was reported that five of the 12 charged with supporting LTTE had complained of mistreatment, torture and intimidation while in custody.
One claimed he was forced to admit he was an LTTE member and threatened with life imprisonment if he did not comply with police orders.
A lawyer for another suspect said her client was kept in a separate dark cell, which did not comply with lock-up regulations.
Yesterday, Hamid said the allegations were “baseless and irresponsible” and urged those making such claims to produce evidence in court, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the alleged misconduct.
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has since asked for a probe into the allegations.
Ramkarpal said Hamid should launch a proper probe into the allegations.
“In the circumstances, it is hoped that a proper investigation into the allegations of torture by the LTTE detainees is conducted as, it seems at this stage, only the statements of the said implicated officers have been relied on,” he said. - FMT
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