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  • 18 hours ago
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) urges the authorities to follow proper procedural safeguards in investigations involving minors, including access to legal counsel and meeting families for longer periods of time.

This comes after two children were allegedly detained for 20 days under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

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Transcript
00:00Thank you very much.
00:30Kita tidak ada apa-apa maklum balas lagi lah setakat waktu ni.
00:34Dan juga saya juga ni pada semalam hanya dibenarkan untuk berjumpa dengan anak puan dalam tempoh masa yang sangat singkat
00:46iaitu 15 minit.
00:48Dan juga pihak pegawai penyiasat juga sangat strict dalam observing the time period for consultation tu.
00:57Dan ini adalah memang yang kita ni yang secara logiknya memang masa yang sangat tak mencukupi.
01:07Dan saya percaya bahawa ini bukanlah satu pindah kaya monasabah.
01:13Dan seolah-olah it's a kind of mockery sebab seolah-olahnya pihak polis membenarkan perjumpaan tu just for the sake
01:22of doing it.
01:22Tetapi bukanlah satu konsultasi perawaman yang efektif.
01:28Dan juga saya juga difahamkan bahawa terdapat intimidasi terhadap anak guam semasa ditahan dan tempoh siasatan.
01:42Dan juga memandangkan ia melibatkan seorang minor, seorang kanak-kanak.
01:48Dan juga penggunaan sosma adalah suatu perkara yang tidak wajar.
01:53Dan saya juga difahamkan bahawa dia seperti mana yang tempoh siasatan dilakukan tu adalah sama seperti mana orang dewasa disiasat.
02:07Dan juga dalam keadaan ini memang kita tahu kanak-kanak adalah seorang yang vulnerable.
02:16Dan adalah tidak wajar apabila polis menggunakan sosma seperti yang ini.
02:21It's too heavy handed lah apa yang saya boleh katakan.
02:24So now we have at least two children who are currently detained.
02:28Now both Erica and I, we just had the same 15 minutes that was given to Farida.
02:38And we were actually timed.
02:40So I want to mention that even the extra three or five minutes that was given,
02:45they made sure to tell us that it was a favor for us.
02:50That is wrong.
02:51We have a right to meet them.
02:53We have the, especially a child, they have the right to legal counsel.
02:57And any right should be pursuant to the criminal procedure court and the child act.
03:02Not sosma procedures used against children.
03:06Alright.
03:06Now with regards to the family, the family, both the families are devastated.
03:11They want their child to be returned immediately.
03:14We cannot accept any other outcome.
03:17They have to be released now, today.
03:21They have no reason to keep them detained under sosma laws.
03:25I believe investigation, they have had some time to investigate.
03:29Investigation should or ought to have been completed.
03:34Now, this is what I gather from the investigating officer from one of the children, one of the children or
03:42one of the child who has been arrested.
03:44He says that the investigation papers has been submitted to the attorney general chambers today, this afternoon.
03:51But they have not obtained instructions as to whether they are going to charge or what is the, what further
03:56action is going to be taken.
03:57However, when we interviewed our client, our client was so certain and so specific.
04:03He said that he is most likely going to be charged on the 8th of March in the Allostar Magistrates
04:13Court.
04:13So, how is it that my client can tell me so accurately what's going on, but the investigating officer says,
04:23I've just submitted, we don't know anything.
04:26So, we don't know what is the status of the investigation.
04:29We are hoping to get immediate or timely updates.
04:35We did caution the investigating officer not to inform the lawyers on Saturday at 8 of 8pm and then have
04:41them charged in Allostar at the next morning at 9am.
04:46That's not fair.
04:47We have placed ourselves on record and I think that the right thing to do is to give us enough
04:51time to present ourselves, knowing that we are from KL.
04:55Now, with regards to the child, they have conducted investigations.
05:00We are informed that there were items that were confiscated, telephones, laptops.
05:07So, part of the investigation, substantial part of the investigation is done.
05:11So, we tried to inquire as to what are the other investigative investigative procedures that is left to be done,
05:18but we didn't get any proper response from them.
05:21So, at this juncture, we don't know whether they're going to keep them for the entire duration, whether they're even
05:27going to charge.
05:28We don't know and we have not received any confirmation.
05:31And both of them are still studying in school and they intend to complete their SPM this year.
05:38In November this year, my client has specifically told me that he intends to work.
05:44He's got an ambition to be a technician and he wants to work and he's afraid that his education is
05:50going to be affected because of the prolonged detention.
05:54And come on, we must also understand the stigma.
05:57They are children.
05:58If you're arrested for SOSMA today, you think they're going to have a good time in school?
06:01They are not.
06:02What are the enforcement officers thinking?
06:05You know, they are children.
06:06They should be treated as such.
06:08Use the relevant provisions.
06:09We are not saying don't investigate, but there are proper procedures and laws that exist to investigate matters like this.
06:18And matters like this have to be investigated with sensitivity and compassion.
06:22So we plead to the good conscience of Tan Sri IGP, please let's end this today, release them immediately.
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