KUALA LUMPUR: Two human rights activists have asked for the Special Branch (SB) to be restructured and for some of its officers to be sacked for intimidation.
The call was contained in a memorandum to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) submitted yesterday.
The duo – Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall youth chief Siah Kwong Liang and outgoing president of the Universiti Malaya Association (Umany) of New Youth Wong Yan Ke – alleged that they had been intimidated by SB officers for organising and attending two events in support of Hong Kong’s anti-extradition bill movement.
Both were hauled up for interrogation on separate occasions over different events. Nonetheless, both also claimed to have been intimidated by a Bukit Aman SB officer identified as “Tuan Tan”.
Siah said he was questioned at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters on June 28, eight days after he organised a forum on the movement called “Your One Country, My Two Systems”.
He said Tan “applied intimidation tactics”, saying: “The Special Branch has vast powers. I can send a letter to the Registrar of Societies to disband your society. I can call your employer and ask if they still want you to work for them. We can even influence your studies. You can’t graduate and get a job.”
Wong said he was summoned by Tan on July 3 after he participated in a petition campaign at public universities while also taking part in a rally on June 16.
“The questioning was intimidating. He said he could do things to prevent me from graduating. He asked if I believed that he could transfer RM2 million into Umany’s bank account and get it disbanded for receiving illicit money.”
Wong also said he was constantly accused of being anti-China and inciting Chinese Malaysians against China and the China Communist Party throughout the questioning.
The memorandum, which was submitted to Suhakam Commissioner Datuk Lok Yim Pheng, contained proposals which to dismiss the Special Branch and restructure it into an Indipendent body, and to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconducts Comission.
Lok said Suhakam will be investigating the claims.
