KUCHING: The DAP Sarawak has lodged a formal complaint to the Commissioner of Police Sarawak (CP) on the recent arrest of Abdul Aziz Isa Bin Marindo, the special assistant to DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, on 9 September.
Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament at a press conference yesterday said while they respect and abide by the police power to investigate any complaint made in a police report, the Arresting Officer had acted in the most inappropriate and abusive manner, with intent to humiliate and intimidate Abul Aziz.
In his Complaint Letter, Chong said on 16Sept 2017 @ about 3.10pm, Abdul Aziz received a phone call from the Arresting Office requesting Abdul Aziz to turn himself in to the One-Stop Police Station. At about 4pm, Abdul Aziz together with him went to the One-Stop Police Station.
“While inside the Police Station, Abdul Aziz identified himself to the Arresting Officer while I introduced myself as Abdul Aziz’s lawyer. The Arresting Officer asked both of us to go outside of the Police Station. While out at the front of the said Police Station the Arresting Officer ordered Abdul Aziz to be handcuffed and brought him into the Police Station,” Chong said.
According to Chong, it is their view that there was absolutely no neccessity and it was inappropriate and an abuse of power on the part of the Arresting Officer to request Abdul Aziz to go out from the Police Station so that the Arresting Officer could order Abdul Aziz to be handcuffed.
Such act, according to Chong , was more to humiliate and intimidate Abdul Aziz who had vountarily turned himself in within an hour of receiving the phone calls from the Arresting Officer.
According to Chong, before Abdul Aziz was detained for interrogation, he, acting as Abdul Aziz’s lawyer had made clear that it was Abdul Aziz’s rights to have a lawyer present while being interrogated.
Nevertheless, he said, the Arresting Officer refused to allow his presence while Abdul Aziz was interrogated.
“I tried to enter the interrogation room but was prevented from doing so by another police officer,” he said.
Chong said any police investigation should not be influenced by the presence of any politician from the ruling party. Afterall, he said the police are the servants of the people and not the servants of the ruling party.
