The incident of a taxi driver wrongly detained over a kidnapping case reveals the pressing issue of police’s abuse of powers, said Gerakan Youth.

Youth deputy chief Andy Yong said the release of taxi driver Hanizan Mohamed Radzi was “another classic example of how our police can abuse their power”.

Although Hanizan had found the kidnapped boy wandering the streets and sent him home, he was detained for allegedly abducting the boy.

He was subsequently cleared of the allegation and released, and yesterday the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) conferred him a special award .

News of the kidnapping of the boy outside his kindergarten in Sungai Chua, Kajang, last month went viral on the social media.

Eight hours after the abduction Hanizan, who encountered and recognised the boy from WhatsApp messages, took the boy home.

However, the police action had caused Hanizan and his family embarrassment, said Yong, a lawyer and head of Gerakan’s legal team.

‘Know your rights’

Yong said this case was not the first, and said victims of unlawful arrest should learn their rights.

“From experience as a lawyer, some of my clients were also detained and remanded and subsequently released and discharged.

“Some of them were requested to be at the police station for investigation purposes, but ended up being arrested.

“I believe such abuse happened to many in Malaysia. Some resorted to bribery in order to be released especially over minor offences,” said Yong.

Such detention may have merits if it involves very serious offences or terrorism, he said, but for minor crimes ordinary people could be easily intimidated by the police with threats of being locked up or detained.

“This is very unfair and may allow the police to act according to their whims and fancies,” he said.

He reminded potential arrest victims that the law required the police to provide evidence or grounds before detaining them.

“I advise those innocent people who have been arrested to know their rights and consider initiating legal action for false imprisonment,” said Yong.