Anwar beaten up: Reactions
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From: worldpeace@my-dejanews.com <worldpeace@my-dejanews.com>
Subject: hello, they say 100% anwar got beaten up, can they please stop?
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 6:41 PM

hello people...

i'm very worried. some people told me they know 100% anwar had been
beaten up very hard the first night. is that true? they say it's the
special-branch policemen's tradition to beat up all the i-s-a detainees on
their first night to teach them who is the boss. apparently it is the same
style used by the usa-cia people... also the other secret police... i am
really concern that we are now living in a country of fear...i really
hope dr. mahathir is not going to allow the special branch do more bad
things to the poor ex-dpm... i mean mahahtir has to go one day, and i hope
he will go with a good reputation, you know...what is this country coming
to? we can't live in fear. some more, this type of style give us muslims
even worst names? the west keep saying we are terrorists, that is not true,
but why is a muslim leader treated like that by another muslim leader? i
don't know anymore, i feel very sad...

peace, we need worldpeace...people...

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From: thariq@my-dejanews.com <thariq@my-dejanews.com>
Subject: malaysia, negara polis
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 11:48 AM

saya rasa cukup sedih dengan keadaan negara Malaysia sekarang, banyak rakyat
yang merasa takut-takut untuk berbincang bersama kawan-kawan. Nak bawak
risalah atau berita pun takut ditangkap polis. Mana hak kita? Mana
kebebasan? Mana kemerdekaan? Rakyat nak menyatakan ketidakpuasan hati
disekat, media dikawal sepenuhya, polis dan hakim boleh dipengaruhi. Apa ni
...Malaysia sekarang sudah jadi negara polis ke?

 

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From: Yap Yok Foo <yfyap@pop.jaring.my>
Subject: Malaysian police to look into beating
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 12:10 PM

From Daily Telegraph
3rd Oct 1998

Malaysian police to look into beating
By Alex Spillius in Kuala Lumpur 

MALAYSIAN police have launched an investigation into claims by Anwar
Ibrahim that he was beaten unconscious while in custody.

An investigation team from the provinces, headed by an assistant
commissioner, has been appointed as condemnation from the
international community has rained down on Mahathir Mohamad, the prime
minister. The opposition attacked the investigation, calling for an
independent inquiry headed by a retired judge.

Lim Kit Siang, the Secretary General of the Democratic Action Party,
said: "The government should realise it is just not acceptable that
investigations into Anwar's allegations are being carried out by the
police itself."

Yesterday James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, and Robert
Rubin, the US Treasury Secretary, expressed distress over the
incident. 

Moves within UNMO against Dr Mahathir are already underway, and Mr
Anwar's treatment and the incredulity with which many Malaysians have
greeted his alleged offences could mark the end of Dr Mahathir's
17-year rule.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk

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From: Yap Yok Foo <yfyap@pop.jaring.my>
Subject: Malaysian police to look into beating
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 12:51 PM

From Times of India
3rd Oct 1998

Police probe Anwar's jailhouse injuries 
By Ranjan Roy

KUALA LUMPUR: Amid mounting concern over the treatment of Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad's former deputy, police on Friday began
probing allegations that Anwar Ibrahim was beaten on his first night
of captivity. 

A team led by a police officer from the southern state of Malacca, not
involved in the case, will question the officers assigned to
interrogate the 51-year-old dissident who is challenging Mahathir's
rule. 

A trial date will be decided after Anwar appears on Monday in high
court for a fresh reading of 10 counts alleging corruption and illegal
homosexual acts, a defense lawyer said. He was expected to repeat his
innocent pleas. 

Mahathir, 72, initially suggested that Anwar had inflicted his own
injuries to gain public sympathy. But as condemnation grew and
newspapers worldwide published pictures of Anwar's welts and bruises,
Mahathir ordered an investigation. No timetable for it has been
announced. 

On Thursday, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged in a
message to Mahathir that Anwar be treated properly in accordance with
the rule of law. Annan said he was heartened by Mahathir's subsequent
statement that the reports of physical abuse would be investigated.
World Bank President James Wolfensohn said he was troubled by the
photographs of Anwar. 

He said Anwar was to have played a key role at the annual meetings of
the Bank and the International Monetary Fund, now under way, as
chairman of a 24-nation committee that represents the interests of
developing countries. 

Speaking in a personal capacity, Wolfensohn called Anwar a friend who
had a real position in our group. ``I hope the world keeps an eye on
him and he gets a chance to state his case.'' 

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Bar Council, angered by police questioning of a
defense attorney who accompanied Anwar's wife to police headquarters
on Thursday, called for an October 10 meeting. The purpose is to
discuss detentions such as Anwar's under the Internal Security Act,
which allows indefinite detention without charge. Detainees are often
denied access to lawyers or family. 

Anwar's wife, Azizah Ismail, was summoned to police headquarters on
Thursday for the third time to answer questions about a television
interview expressing fears for her husband's health. Police also
interrogated her lawyer, and traveled to Singapore to question the
CNBC Asia journalists who interviewed her. (AP)

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/

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From: Yap Yok Foo <yfyap@pop.jaring.my>
Subject: Malaysian police to look into beating
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 12:14 PM

From SCMP, HK
3rd Oct 1998

CID chief to probe Anwar assault claim 
IAN STEWART 

In the wake of Anwar Ibrahim's accusation that he was beaten in
custody, there were signs yesterday of a move to distance Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad from any possibly unlawful police action.

Police announced that an officer from outside Kuala Lumpur would be
brought in to head a team probing the sacked deputy prime minister's
allegation.

The announcement that Mat Zain, chief of the Malacca state CID, would
head the investigating team followed Dr Mahathir's statement on
Thursday that the Government would not tolerate any unlawful police
action.

On Wednesday he raised the possibility that Anwar's wounds could have
been self-inflicted.

Yesterday, the New Straits Times published an article reporting that
under a section of the Internal Security Act - the law used to arrest
Anwar - the police did not need to inform the Home Minister at every
stage of their investigations and actions taken against detainees.

Dr Mahathir is the Home Minister as well as Prime Minister.

http://www.scmp.com/news/

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From: angus <angus@pl.jaring.my>
Subject: Re: Malaysian police to look into beating
Date: Saturday, October 03, 1998 9:36 AM

Yap Yok Foo wrote:
> From Daily Telegraph

Lim Kit Siang, the Secretary General of the Democratic Action Party,
said: "The government should realise it is just not acceptable that
investigations into Anwar's allegations are being carried out by thepolice
itself."<rest deleted>

One way to ensure the report is properly treated is for the Chief
Investigator to be required to report directly to Parliament with all the
foreign media present. The report should not end up in the Cabinet's KIV files.

This matter is simply too crucial to be brushed aside and Malaysia will
suffer the loss of its position as one of the developing world's leaders.
No one will bother about us if there is no transparency and proper
accountability.

H J Angus

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