Anwar wants royal panel to investigate claims

PETALING JAYA: The Opposition wants the Government to form a royal commission to investigate abuse and allegations of torture of suspects under police custody, following the recent death of detainee A. Kugan.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed that some police personnel were committing abuse and torturing suspects and these were covered up by top officials in the force.

He said investigations into Kugan’s case must be open and independent instead of being conducted by the police themselves.

“This (setting up of a commission) will restore the image and credibility of the police force and protect the good name of the majority of the policemen who are doing a good job,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Anwar, who had assured Kugan’s family that the Opposition was serious in taking up the cause, said the Opposition MPs would press the issue in Parliament until the Home Minister could give an assurance that such incidents would not recur, not only to Indian detainees but to all.

Pointing out that there had been 80 deaths in police custody since 2000, he said there was also an attempt to turn it into a racial issue by relating it to crimes or thefts committed by Indians.

He also claimed that the media was being used to divert attention by highlighting the incident where the deceased’s family members had barged into the mortuary.

“What was not reported was the mortuary guard’s admission that he had opened the door of the mortuary,” he said.

Asked if PKR was co-operating with MIC leaders who were also assisting the grieving family, Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, who was present, said they were not.

“In fact, the MIC leaders have been missing for the past two days,” said the MP, who has been with the family since the mortuary incident.

On another matter, Anwar said that since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had welcomed US president Barack Obama’s decision to close down the Guan­tanamo military prison and release the detainees, the Govern­ment should not re-detain Malaysian detainees released from the Internal Security Act (ISA).

“If he says that the Guantanamo Bay centre should be closed down because it goes against the law, then it is only appropriate to release the ISA detainees immediately,” he said.

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