Respect Menteri Besar’s Circular and Political Aides’ Human Rights

Press Statement by SELPROA on 20 January 2010: Respect Menteri Besar’s Circular and Political Aides’ Human Rights

Selangor Pakatan Rakyat Elected Representatives’ Officers Association (SELPROA) strongly condemns the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) for arresting Hussein Ahmad, Executive Officer to Selangor State Executive Councillor YB Yaakob Sapari, and for bringing him to Putrajaya this afternoon for an overnight interrogation.

It is understood that a MACC report was lodged against Hussein relating to corruption involving the wrongful sale of sand in Selangor. It is strange that the MACC continues to disregard blatant corruption cases such as Khir Toyo's mansion and cases worth billions such as PKFZ and missing jet engines but chooses to target those involving the Pakatan Rakyat. The Abu Kassim’s new leadership has proven that MACC is a political tool of the BN government that is used to suppress the Opposition by risking their political aides’ safety.

MACC should bear the highest responsibility for Teoh Beng Hock's death. The last time MACC detained a political aide overnight, he was suppose to be safe, and yet he was found dead the next day. MACC's standard operating procedure for questioning witnesses or suspects overnight is totally unacceptable, MACC has accepted no responsibility whatsoever and shown no remorse for the circumstances which led to Beng Hock's death.

One political death is too much for our country, Selproa does not want Hussein or any other political aides to become a second Beng Hock and urge MACC to respect MB's circular in relating to interrogation whether he is a suspect or witness.

We are greatly disappointed by the silence of the MACC advisory board, special committee on corruption, complaints committee, operation review panel and the corruption consultation and prevention panel. The 42 members are entrusted by the country and Yang Di Pertuan Agong to eliminate corruption in the country. They are supposed to speak without fear or favour against unfair and selective practices, as well as interrogation methods which infringing human rights of the MACC.

Today, their presence in the MACC is not only a joke, but also tarnishes their professional image and integrity. We call upon the 42 advisory members of MACC to immediately step down as they are unable to ensure that the anti corruption body can carry out their duties in a fair and decent manner, complying to detention regulation and providing fundamental rights of a witness or suspect.

This incident reminds us of our colleague, the late Teoh Beng Hock, whose detention by the MACC resulted in his death. Prime Minister Najib Razak has promised a Royal Commission of Inquiry investigating Teoh Beng Hock’s rights during his interrogation.

We call upon Najib to set this up immediately and suspend MACC’s activities until the Royal Commission clears its name. Until then, MACC’s interrogation methods and intentions continue to be questionable and highly politicised.

Abdul Razak Ismail

President of SELPROA

012-3966744

(Cum Special Assistant to Selangor State Exco YB Xavier Jayakumar)