Special Branch Interrogation After 112 Statements An Abuse of Police Powers

*The Malay translation of this statement is available below, following the English version.

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemns the police handling of student activist Aliefah as an abuse of power and a breach of due process. 

Aliefah's arrest was wholly unnecessary. A summons to appear voluntarily for questioning would have sufficed. Instead, like student activist Abdul Qayyum who was also arrested under similar circumstances ten days ago, Aliefah was taken to IPD Tawau and denied access to exercise her right to legal counsel. In contrast, UMNO Youth Chief Akmal Saleh - under investigation last month under the Sedition Act, Section 506 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act - was allowed to present himself at a scheduled time with his lawyer and provide his statement. The unequal treatment raises legitimate concerns about selective enforcement and compromise of procedural fairness.  

After completing her 112 statement, Aliefah was confined alone in a room and further questioned by a group of special branch (SB) officers. This is not the first time this has happened — just two months ago, three youth activists in Sabah, including university students Muhammad Fadhil Kasim and Aliff Danial Badrul Akmal, were subjected to the same treatment after the Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0 protest. Under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), only a Section 112 statement is allowed in routine criminal investigations. Forcing a second “intelligence statement” outside this process an unlawful and coercive tactic that undermines the basic protections CPC provides to witnesses and suspects — including the right to be questioned lawfully, clearly, and fairly. 

SUARAM calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aliefah. We demand an immediate explanation from the Royal Malaysian Police as to why due process was violated, blatantly contravening Aliefah's constitutional guarantee of personal liberty under Article 5 of the Federal Constitution. 

In solidarity,

Azura Nasron

Executive Director at SUARAM

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SUARAM: SIASATAN OLEH CAWANGAN KHAS SELEPAS RAKAMAN KENYATAAN 112 ADALAH PENYALAHGUNAAN KUASA POLIS

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) mengecam tindakan pihak polis terhadap aktivis mahasiswa Aliefah sebagai satu penyalahgunaan kuasa dan pelanggaran proses hak.

Penahanan Aliefah jelas tidak perlu. Satu arahan untuk hadir secara sukarela bagi tujuan soal siasat sudah memadai. Walau bagaimanapun, Aliefah dibawa ke IPD Tawau dan dinafikan hak untuk mendapatkan khidmat guaman – sama seperti aktivis mahasiswa Abdul Qayyum yang turut ditahan sepuluh hari lalu. Sebaliknya, Ketua Pemuda UMNO Akmal Saleh — yang disiasat bulan lalu di bawah Akta Hasutan, Seksyen 506 Kanun Keseksaan dan Seksyen 233 Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia — dibenarkan hadir pada waktu yang dijadualkan bersama peguamnya untuk memberikan kenyataan. Layanan yang berat sebelah ini menimbulkan persoalan mengenai penguatkuasaan terpilih serta menjejaskan keadilan prosedur sedia ada.

Setelah menyelesaikan kenyataan 112, Aliefah telah dikurung seorang diri dalam sebuah bilik dan disoal siasat lagi oleh sekumpulan pegawai cawangan khas (SB). Ini bukan kali pertama perkara sebegini berlaku — hanya dua bulan lalu, tiga aktivis belia di Sabah termasuk mahasiswa universiti Muhammad Fadhil Kasim dan Aliff Danial Badrul Akmal turut dikenakan layanan sama selepas protes Gempur Rasuah Sabah 2.0. Di bawah Kanun Tatacara Jenayah (CPC), hanya kenyataan Seksyen 112 dibenarkan dalam siasatan jenayah rutin. Memaksa kenyataan “risikan” kedua di luar proses ini adalah tidak sah dan bersifat paksaan yang meruntuhkan perlindungan asas yang tersedia dalam CPC kepada saksi dan suspek — termasuk hak untuk disoal secara sah, jelas, dan adil.

SUARAM menggesa agar Aliefah segera dibebaskan tanpa syarat. Kami menuntut penjelasan segera daripada Polis Diraja Malaysia mengapa proses hak telah dicabuli secara terang-terangan, sekali gus bercanggah dengan jaminan di bawah Perkara 5 Perlembagaan Persekutuan terhadap kebebasan diri.

Dalam solidariti,

Azura Nasron

Pengarah Eksekutif SUARAM