Hentikan Penyelewengan Polis/
Stop Police Abuse

Aliran is perturbed to learn that Tian Chua, the chairman of the Coalition for People’s Democracy (Gagasan) who was detained on 21 November 1998, has been allegedly assaulted while in police custody.

Aliran has received a copy of a sworn declaration from someone who witnessed Tian being assaulted when he was arrested.

Aliran understands that Tian, who was taken to his residence by police when they carried out a search there, bore marks of assault. He had, in fact, confirmed that he was assaulted yesterday before being brought to his residence.

Aliran is appalled by what is said to be taking place in the privacy of police detention. Stories of horror and torture, shame and humiliation, degradation and denigration seem to be the order of the day. Affidavits filed by S. Nallakaruppan and Dr Munawar Anees, revelations during court proceedings, and Anwar’s black eye have revealed horrendous abuse of human rights and shocking degradation of human dignity.

These abuses are totally unacceptable in any civilised society and any democratic government worth its salt will have to set up a truly independent Commission of Inquiry - independent of the police - to identify and bring to book the perpetrators of these criminal acts.

The credibility of the government is at its nadir. Aliran calls upon Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as the Home Minister, to respond to this call and to set up such a Commission of Inquiry.
 

Executive Committee
26 November 1998