Held under PCA but treated like ISA detainee
Ram AnandPublished: Apr 17, 2014 5:23 AM | Updated: Apr 17, 2014 9:35 AM
Police treatment of Arif Bongsu Abdul Hamid under the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) is reminiscent of treatment handed down by the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA), his lawyers say.
The 31-year old Internet cafe owner is among the first to be arrested under the recently-gazetted law.
Police treatment of Arif Bongsu Abdul Hamid under the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) is reminiscent of treatment handed down by the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA), his lawyers say.
The 31-year old Internet cafe owner is among the first to be arrested under the recently-gazetted law.
N Surendran and Latheefa Koya, who are acting as Arif Bongsu's lawyers, said they have been denied access to him ever since nearly 30 policemen raided his house in Kajang last Sunday and arrested him under the PCA.
Despite contacting the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters yesterday, Surendran and Latheefa said, they were told that they cannot meet their client for the time being.
"We do not know why he was arrested, why it was done under PCA or where he is being held. It's the same like ISA. There is so little information available," Surendran said, in urging the police to grant Arif Bongsu legal representation immediately.
Under the PCA, a five-member board can decide to detain an individual for up to two years as "preventive detention", which can be challenged under a judicial review.
"At the moment, we do not know whether he's going to be detained for 10 days, months, two years or for four years," Surendran said.
Wrongfully detained twice under EO
Arif was previously detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) twice, but on both occasions he won High Court cases against the government for wrongful arrest, Latheefa pointed out.
"But they arrested him yet again, and then released him when the EO was repealed," she said.
She said she has written to the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar and to the Kuala Lumpur district police headquarters to request for permission to meet Arif wherever he is being detained.
Arif's wife Nurul Suhaida Teh is currently five months pregnant with their third child, and said the police were rough when arresting Arif at 4pm on Sunday.
The 31-year old Internet cafe owner is among the first to be arrested under the recently-gazetted law.
N Surendran and Latheefa Koya, who are acting as Arif Bongsu's lawyers, said they have been denied access to him ever since nearly 30 policemen raided his house in Kajang last Sunday and arrested him under the PCA.Despite contacting the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters yesterday, Surendran and Latheefa said, they were told that they cannot meet their client for the time being.
"We do not know why he was arrested, why it was done under PCA or where he is being held. It's the same like ISA. There is so little information available," Surendran said, in urging the police to grant Arif Bongsu legal representation immediately.
Under the PCA, a five-member board can decide to detain an individual for up to two years as "preventive detention", which can be challenged under a judicial review.
"At the moment, we do not know whether he's going to be detained for 10 days, months, two years or for four years," Surendran said.
Wrongfully detained twice under EO
Arif was previously detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) twice, but on both occasions he won High Court cases against the government for wrongful arrest, Latheefa pointed out.
"But they arrested him yet again, and then released him when the EO was repealed," she said.
She said she has written to the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar and to the Kuala Lumpur district police headquarters to request for permission to meet Arif wherever he is being detained.
Arif's wife Nurul Suhaida Teh is currently five months pregnant with their third child, and said the police were rough when arresting Arif at 4pm on Sunday.
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