Many innocent Indian Malaysians could be falling victim to the Emergency Ordinance and this has prompted MIC to call for an independent inquiry into such cases.

The party said an independent inquiry board, comprising credible civilians, must be formed to review and make recommendations on police files on detainees proposed for periodical detention under the security law.

As for cases involving Indian Malaysian detainees, MIC proposed that the board be headed by a credible member of that community.

The Emergency Ordinance empowers the police to hold a detainee without trial for a period of two years at the Simpang Renggam detention centre in Johor.

According to MIC, an inquiry board is vital as the present system is exposed to possible highhanded tactics and misrepresentation of facts.

Fear of discrimination

"An independent inquiry would allay public fear of possible bias, discrimination and wrongdoing by the police when a detainee is sent to Simpang Renggam.

"The Indian Malaysian community fears that many innocent Indian Malaysian youths were discriminated under the present system," said Penang MIC secretary and state executive councillor PK Subbaiyah.

MIC had made this proposal during a recent public inquiry session conducted by the Royal Commission on the Police in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

The proposal was among several issues raised in a memorandum submitted to the commission by a four-member MIC team, headed by Subbaiyah. The rest were Kedah MIC deputy chief S Ganesan, Penang-based lawyers K Kumaraendran and M Athimulan.

Subbaiyah told malaysiakini that the inquiry should be an integral part of the pre-process to send a detainee to Simpang Renggam.

Such inquiries are not new to police procedures as it is being practised for those held under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

He said the inquiry board should be empowered to make various recommendations on a case-to-case basis to the police after reviews.

For instance, he said the board could recommend an individual, especially a first-time offender, to be exiled to a remote area instead of being held in Simpang Renggam.

"At a remote area, the detainee may be able to mix with the ordinary citizens and improve himself," said Subbaiyah, who is a lawyer by profession.

He said studies prove that many first-time offenders usually turn out to be hardcore criminals once they had spent their time in Simpang Renggam.

"This defeats the whole purpose of sending detainees there for rehabilitation," he added.

Career growth

Another issue raised in the memorandum was the lack of career growth for Malaysian Indians in the police force.

At present, not a single Indian Malaysian holds high-ranking posts such as director, commissioner, senior assistant commissioner or so forth.

There are only a single Indian Malaysian deputy commissioner and two assistant commissioners nationwide.

"Although many Indian officers have the capabilities, abilities, qualities and academic qualifications, some with double degrees, they have not been given equal opportunity of career growth in the force.

"This discourages young Indian men from joining the force," said Subbaiyah.

Indians make up only 1,000 or a mere eight percent of the 80,000-strong police force nationwide.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer