The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) is disturbed to learn that the 12 Muslims who attended the dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on August 3 have suffered harassment and death threats when their names, IC numbers, and other details, as well as a video on the raid by Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) were leaked and are now all over the internet.

Jais has stated that investigations into the dinner have yet to be completed and have requested all parties to respect this process. The 12 individuals have co-operated with this ongoing investigation and complied with Jais’ requests for attendance at interviews. However the release of their personal details has breached the process requested by Jais and has led to these individuals being judged online.

JAG protests at the leaking of confidential personal details of people who are in the midst of an investigation. Such a breach of privacy contravenes the federal constitution, as the right to ‘personal liberty’ enshrined in Article 5(1) of the federal constitution includes the right to privacy.

Furthermore, providing confidential personal details to third parties without consent, the consequences of which include the publication of the information and subsequent damage to personal reputation, can be considered an act of defamation. It is also a criminal offence to reveal the contents of Investigation Papers in an ongoing investigation,

JAG is of the opinion that Jais is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of their investigations and as such should apologise and act to rectify the severe consequences that these 12 people have had to endure because of their failure to ensure due process. The unchecked flouting of investigative secrecy reflects negatively on the standards of professionalism of Jais’ investigating officers.

Every citizen is entitled to privacy irrespective of whether they are being investigated or not. The leaking of personal details of these 12 people has meant that their rights have been violated. We therefore demand that this regrettable violation be stopped and all proper legal action be taken against the parties responsible for it.

Issued by Women’s Aid Organisation for and on behalf of the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), which comprises:

All Women’s Action Society (Awam)
Perak Women for Women Society (PWW)
Sabah Women’s Action Resource Group (SAWO)
Sisters in Islam (SIS)
Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)
Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC)