Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar's explanation that he had no prior knowledge about the identity of the victim in the nude video clip is 'unacceptable', said various groups today.

Noh, whose portfolio includes overseeing the police force, was reported today as saying that he only learnt of the woman's nationality from newspapers.

However, certain quarters find this hard to digest since the deputy minister was said to have received a full report from the police regarding the incident on Nov 28, four days after the clip was exposed.

"If he and the police didn't know, how could have they identified and called the woman to the independent inquiry?" asked PAS Dewan Muslimat information chief Dr Siti Mariah Mahmood

"They knew who she was all along," she told a joint press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The press conference was organised by DAP parliamentarian Teresa Kok, who exposed the clip, together with women's groups and the women's wings of opposition parties.

Difficult to accept

Kok said it was 'difficult' to accept the deputy minister's reasoning. "Who went and found the girl at the inquiry then?" she asked.

It was initially speculated that the woman in the clip was a Chinese national but an independent inquiry held into the matter revealed that she was a local Malay.

The clip, which was recorded using a mobile phone, showed the woman being forced to do ear squats in the nude at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters. This sparked an outrage.

However, when it was revealed that the victim was a Malay, Kok and opposition leader Lim Kit Siang came under heavy fire from Barisan Nasional politicians for 'shaming the country'.

Lim, who recently added a political twist to the saga, described this as a classic example of shooting the messenger.

Peeping Toms

Meanwhile, the various groups present today also pledged support for Kok in exposing the incident and urged her detractors to stop their attacks.

"We support Kok's action. If not because of her exposure this matter would not have received attention from the public and government.

"It seems the government will only act when it involves the country's economy, fearing that the number of Chinese tourists will drop," said PAS Dewan Muslimat chief Azizah Khatib Mat.

The plight of Malaysian victims of police abuse is not heard, she added.

Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) women's chief Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj asked if voyeurism is common in police lock-ups.

"Since the filming of the video clip was done through a window, it leads to another question: whether it is common for peeping toms... to film these incidents?" she said.

Others present at the press conference were Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Wanita deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, Women's Collective Centre executive director Maria Chin Abdullah, Awam representative Yasmin Masidi and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Women's chief Cheng Su Chean.

Also at the press conference were a reformasi protestor, Norazimah Mohd Nor, who was detained by the police five years ago, and another alleged victim of police abuse, transsexual Mumtaz.

"Why Nora, who was not a drug suspect, was stripped naked and ordered to do ear squats in front of 12 police officers?" asked Zuraida.

Mumtaz had last month complained of similar humiliation in the hands of the police when she was detained.

Flimsy reasons

In another development, Lim also dismissed Noh's explanation as 'hard to believe' since it contradicted the statements made by his peer, Deputy Internal Security Minister Chia Kwang Chye yesterday.

"Chia gave three flimsy reasons why the police withheld vital information about the woman's nationality. Firstly, the general perception that the woman was a Chinese national, secondly, the prime minister had announced the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry and thirdly, the despatch of Home Minister Azmi Khalid to China," he said in a statement.

According to Lim, none of the three reasons could be accepted as adequate reasons or justifications for withholding the information.

"The question is whether Noh was privy to such withholding of vital information or was he completely in the dark?" he asked.