Karpal: Office hours ruling for cops as well

GEORGE TOWN: Veteran lawyer Karpal Singh has disputed Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's statement that the High Court ruling confining the interrogation of witnesses to office hours is not applicable to the police.
Karpal said the police, more than the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), were bound by the ruling in accordance with Rule 20 of the Lock-up Rules 1953.
He said specific provisions in Rule 20 stated that suspects must be placed in the lock-up between 6.30pm and 6.30am.
"This is a clear ruling that suspects cannot be questioned or interrogated at such times. If such protection is granted to suspects, there is no reason why it should not be extended to witnesses," he said.
Karpal, who is also the MP for Bukit Gelugor, said there was no reason for police to interrogate witnesses at unearthly hours as this was tantamount to torture.
He cited a High Court judgment in the murder case involving former Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Mokhtar Hashim where a co-accused was set free after the judge ruled that the cautioned statement recorded by the police was inadmissable.
"In that case, the judge ruled that the police had breached Rule 20 of the Lock-up Rules when recording the cautioned statement as it was done at odd hours.
"Therefore, the IGP should be cautious in making statements regarding the High Court ruling on the interrogation of witnesses," he said, adding Musa should be well advised to abide by the recent High Court ruling.
Karpal said those in accordance with the Public Authorities Protection Act 1948.
Musa was reported to have said the High Court ruling confining the interrogation of witnesses to office hours was not applicable to the police and that the force had not received any instructions on the matter.
On Thursday, in the lawsuit brought by Kajang municipal councillor Tan Boon Wah challenging MACC's interrogation procedures, Judicial Commissioner Mohammad Ariff Md Yusof ruled that the MACC could only interrogate witnesses between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

tunku : if these rulings are not changed then for the force to complete their cases will take ages.with 24hours we have to wait for so long for them to complete the case what if it is only during office hours.all the officers will not be able to move around during office hours as they will have to limit their time interrogating suspects only.the government(kdn) should reevaluate these ruling and change them asap.this old pathetic lawyer now suggesting that those who were subjected to interrogation at odd hours by the police in the last three years could file suits against the force.he is encouraging those criminals to sue the force.of course he wants them to sue the police as he will get massive business from them.