All women detainees at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters have to go through a strip search regardless of the offence involved, the independent commission investigating the nude 'ear-squat' shocker was told today.

Testifying this morning, L/Cpl Wan Zawati Zalina Wan Ismail, the policewoman seen in the video clip, testified that female detainees would be asked to do 'ear squats' in the nude if they are suspected of serious offences.

"When a detainee comes to me, I will ask her to remove her clothes, and do 'ear-squats' for a maximum of 10 times," she said, explaining that she learnt this from her superior when she joined the force in 1999.

Asked if those detained for minor offences such as stealing and traffic violations are searched the same way, she said: "For common offences we tell them to take off their clothes. If we suspect them, then we will search.

"Those detained for common offences like holding a fake passport are also told to do 'ear-squats'."

The commissioners, headed by former chief justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, look surprised.

Wan Zawati said that if she did not order a detainee to strip and perform the 'ear squats', disciplinary action could be taken against her if any contraband items were later found in the police lock-up occupied by the detainee.

'Room closed'

On June 29, the day the 'ear-squats' incident took place, she was on duty from midnight to 8am. She was in her uniform and slippers when a woman was sent to her at about 5.30am.

"I was wearing slippers because I had just come out from the toilet, and it was also after the morning prayers," she said.

She then told the woman to strip and do 'ear-squats' in a room where the belongings of female detainees are kept.

"I asked her to strip off all her clothes and do the turun dan bangun (squat and stand) 10 times," she said, insisting the room was closed.

(The commission has barred the media from revealing the identity of the woman detainee.)

Wan Zawati was asked if she would notice if someone had opened the window to the room, to which she said: "I didn't (notice). I was paying attention to the detainee."

She claimed that she was not aware if someone was watching them secretly.

Wan Zawati was rendered speechless at one point when asked whether she was indeed the policewoman in the clip. This prompted Dzaiddin to ask her why she did not seem confident about identifying herself.

Quizzed as to whether male police officers could accidently enter the room when female detainees are naked, she said "No, it's impossible".

When pressed as to how she could be so sure, she was silent before reiterating the room was accessible to women only.

Asked if the woman detainee in the video clip was embarrassed when told to strip, the policewoman at first said: "No, only she and I were there."

Told to explain her certainty, Wan Zawati answered: "Maybe she was (embarrassed)."

Wan Zawati was the fourth witness to testify today after the woman in the video clip, arresting officer C/Insp Razali Selvaraju, Insp Noor Sita Kholin of the Damansara police station, and L/Cpl Suhaimi Nordin who said he was shown the video clip by his colleague Constable Mohd Zul Fatah.

The other members of the commission are former Bar Council chairperson Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari, former MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek, Wanita Umno Legal Aid Bureau chief Kamilia Ibrahim and Internal Security Ministry deputy secretary-general Hamzah Md Rus, who is the commission's secretary.

A total of 21 witnesses are expected to be called by Dec 23. The commission has 30 working days to wrap up its probe.