DECEMBER 15 ― First the use of body cams for the Royal Malaysian Police for accountability and transparency ― next the installation of functioning CCTVs in all police lockups, police and immigration vehicles, immigration detention centres, prisons and for Sosma detainees.
The recent announcement by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution comes at an important time where it is truly possible for the much needed reforms to take place, particularly in our police force.
On January 26, 2017, I was privileged to have visited the Charing Cross police station in London to observe for myself the working conditions and also the conditions of the lock ups in the station as well as on the use of body cameras worn by officers to prevent abuses by rogue cops and to protect excellent ones.
I was impressed by the use of the body cams by the officers in the Charing Cross Police Station and began to lobby in the Malaysian Parliament for our men and women in blue to also utilise this technology as a form of accountability. Imagine my delight when former PM Dr Mahathir committed to ensuring our policemen and women were equipped during Pakatan Harapan’s tenure in 2019.
Going back three decades, in 1984, due to some abuse of process by the police, the UK government introduced the “Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984” that sets guidelines for all police stations from custody to detention.
Fast forward in Malaysia, under three prime ministers in the past, Dr Mahathir, Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri, announcements have been made on the process of the purchase of these bodycams but the then home minister did not give a straight answer when I confronted him in the Dewan Rakyat.
I would like to remind the government and the minister of Home Affairs to make the same commitment to ensure that ALL lock-ups, prisons, detention centres, prisons where Sosma detainees are held, as well as vehicles used by PDRM and the Immigration Department are installed with functioning CCTVs, which is “tamper-proof” to ensure that bad practices are weeded out and any form of unsubstantiated slander and lies can be successfully challenged in court by both victim and perpetrator.
How many more rape cases and sexual assaults in lock-ups must we read about until something is done? How many more stories of brutality at the hands of rogue officers that have resulted in custodial deaths? How many more cases of torture of Sosma detainees and also those held in lock-ups, prisons, detention centres must be continue to read before something serious is done. It was most unbecoming of a former home minister who trivialised the number of custodial deaths in Malaysia stating that it is “not that high”.
Most importantly, the exercise to install bodycams and hopefully, functioning CCTVs are not merely physical fixtures but instead acts instill dignity ― for the detainees and the police and the immigration. Body cams and functioning CCTVs protect every person in contact with each other from malicious allegations. It is in no way to undermine nor to break the spirit of our police and immigration officers but instead to uphold the rule of law, justice, fairness and human rights and most importantly as a preventive measure to any form of brutality and violence in our lock ups, detention centres and even police and immigration vehicles in Malaysia.
Nevertheless, first world infrastructure and technology must be tightly accompanied with changes and reforms in approach, culture, practices and mindset by our enforcement officers and I am confident that we will achieve it given the right amount of political will exercised by the Executive and the police and immigration forces in Malaysia.
Let us be reminded too of our position in the United Nations Human Rights Council as well as steps to be taken by the government to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture, and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT). A new government in power also means a fresh start to right what was wrong and bring fresh changes to systems, policies and the law.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.