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Nude woman police abuse clip sparks uproar
Pauline Puah
Nov 24, 05 5:31pm

A one-minute mobile phone video clip showing a woman being forced to strip naked and do ear squats in a police station has sparked an outroar with both the government and opposition calling for the police to be taken to task.

“This should not have happened. If police personnel are really involved, then this is police abuse,” Home Minister Azmi Khalid told a press conference in Parliament after viewing the clip.

He said the police should investigate the case immediately and take action against those involved.

“What if this happens to visitors to Malaysia who have been arrested [...] but already they have been punished with ear squats like this. I am sure if this is proven, the government will take the necessary action,” he said.

The one-minute-and-11-second video clip shot in a Multimedia Messaging (MMS) format was shown to several MPs as well as reporters by DAP’s Seputeh MP Teresa Kok at the Parliament lobby this morning.

The clip showed a nude young woman, possibly in her 20s, doing ear squats 10 times in front of a policewoman in what looked like a locker room of a police station.

The unidentified detainee was shown later putting on her underwear and a black top.

The grainy clip began with the police officer ordering the naked woman to do the squats, indicating with her hands that the detainee was to hold her ears while doing them.

It is believed that the incident happened perhaps last month as Ramadan prayers could be heard.

However, is not known who recorded the footage, which appeared to be taken without the knowledge of the two women through a window.

Photos taken from the clip were first published by the vernacular China Press on its frontpage today. Malaysiakini is showing an edited version of the clip - about 20 seconds - minus the explicit footage.

‘It’s shameful, embarrassing’

Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the clip clearly showed that recent allegations by several Chinese national women of being ill-treated by the police were true.

“It does happen. It’s embarrassing. It only confirms that this thing does happen in this country ... it’s shameful,” he said when met.

He said he will forward the video clip to the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak for the matter to be discussed at the cabinet meeting next week.

He said proper procedures should be followed if the police thought it is necessary to strip someone.

“It should be done in front of a doctor or high-ranking officers. Not every police personnel can ask a person to strip. If you want to strip someone, you should make sure the place is closed. You cannot ask the girl to simply strip at any place,” he said.

Several police officers later went to the press room in Parliament to view the video clip from the TV3 crew.

Profiling concern

Kok, at a separate press conference with Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said she believed the woman in the video clip was not one of the Chinese women nationals who had lodged reports recently against Petaling Jaya police for being falsely detained, stripped and abused.

“Nevertheless, is it standard practice for police to ask detainees to strip naked and to do ear squats?” she asked, also referring to a transsexual, Mumtaz, who allegedly was forced to strip naked while in police lock-up, this time in Ipoh.

On a related matter, Azmi said the cabinet has directed him to convince the Chinese government that its female citizens have not been targeted and profiled in Malaysia.

“Profiling Chinese women especially those below 35 as being involving in vice should not have happened,” he said, adding that he has asked immigration officers to strop profiling the Chinese women.

He said he would visit China next week to correct the perception that Malaysia conducted profiling of Chinese nationals.

“I’ve also directed for an office to be set-up at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to monitor the situation especially at times when a lot of visitors are coming in,” he added.

Video clip