Did the IGP lie when he said Anwar was “safe and sound”?

It is scandalous that former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was allegedly brutalised while under the police custody. This raises the questions of integrity and professionalism and needs urgent answers to salvage any semblance of the rule of law.

On 24 September 1998 at a press conference, the Inspector-General of Police had stated that Anwar was “safe and sound.” But according to Anwar’s testimony in court on 29 September, he was not “safe and sound” on that day. Indeed, he was in pain and misery and without medical treatment after having been allegedly brutalised by his vicious captors on the night of his arrest on 20 September. Was that the real reason he was not produced in court the next morning?

Malaysians have a right to know whether the IGP deliberately lied to mislead the public or if he was genuinely kept in the dark by his officers. In either case, it doesn’t speak well for him.

If he had lied, he should be sacked to protect the integrity of the police force. If he did not know what was happening, then he should resign to acknowledge that he was no longer effectively in charge and that he was unaware of the brutality taking place in such a high-profile case.

Mahathir, as head of the Home Affairs Ministry, cannot escape responsibility either. He cannot afford to ignore the issue. He has two options now:

· condone the brutality, or
· condemn the barbarity and apologise to the nation. Besides this, he should also set up an independent commission made up of individuals with unimpeachable credentials to thoroughly probe all previously reported cases of alleged police brutality.
 

Aliran Executive Committee
30 September 1998