KUALA LUMPUR, 23 April 2009: Allegations posted by Malaysiakini in its website that family members of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Agus Salim were being pressured by the police are false, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said.
Referring to two reports, entitled “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” and “Police Pressure ISA Detainee’s Family” which appeared in the Malaysiakini website on 21 April, he said the allegations were intentionally concocted by the Movement for the Abolition of ISA (GMI).
Musa said Agus’ employer was informed about the detention on 1 March, but that family visit for Agus could not be arranged earlier following a request by his sister, Watini Saputri, as she wanted to wait for her mother, Kartem, and brother, Junaidi Bahari, to arrive from Medan, Indonesia.
He said when Kartem arrived, she was allowed to see her son without any pressure and threat.
“In fact, police also used their discretion and extended Kartem’s visit to four hours,” he added.
He denied an allegation that Kartem’s handphone and passport were seized, adding that the items were taken for safe keeping temporarily when Kartem visited Agus, which was a procedure, and that they were returned to her after the visit.
Musa said police were informed that a few GMI activists had detained Junaidi for about three hours in a car when he returned to a house provided by the GMI to get his suitcase.
He said the action by the GMI had prompted Kartem and Junaidi to leave the house provided by GMI and went to Johor Baru on 21 April.
“Junaidi himself has denied the allegations by GMI in a statement which was published by Utusan Malaysia yesterday,” he added. — Bernama
stk says
I for one will never buy the IGP story.