Al Jazeera issue: Lawyers yet to meet Rayhan

Two lawyers representing Bangladeshi national Md Rayhan Kabir have yet to be able to meet their client, who is now under the Immigration Department detention after he was arrested following a controversial interview with Al Jazeera.

According to one of the counsels, C Selvaraja, they went to the department's headquarters this afternoon to meet their client after having sent an email applying to do so yesterday.

He said they were, however, told that the application was yet to be processed by the authority.

"We have sent an email to the director-general yesterday, but I understand that due to the movement control order (MCO) now, there are thousands of emails going in and out (of Immigration's system).

"So I understand that the huge volume of email could have delayed ours from reaching them," Selva told reporters when met outside the Immigration Department's headquarters in Putrajaya.

Selvaraja was accompanied by his co-counsel K Sumitha Shaanthinni. Both of them were appointed by Rayhan's family in Bangladesh.

Rayhan, 25, was accused of making false allegations on Malaysia's treatment of undocumented migrants in its fight against the Covid-19 outbreak during the interview in the documentary titled "Locked up in Malaysia’s Lockdown."

He was arrested on Friday by the Immigration Department and had since been handed over to the police, who later returned him into the department's custody.

Selvaraja said they have handed a physical letter of the application to the department today and an aide of the Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud had purportedly told the lawyers that they would look into the matter as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, it is learned that several officers from the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur have gone to meet Rayhan today.

Reporters waiting for the lawyers saw several officers from the embassy arriving at Immigration Department premises in two vehicles bearing diplomatic registration numbers before they went into the building at 2.40pm.

It is learned that they were allowed to meet Rayhan inside. However, no details were available on the meeting as the embassy officers later left through another exit and could not be interviewed.

Family worried about Rayhan's safety

The lawyers told reporters that they were appointed by Rayhan's father who engaged their service through a Bangladeshi legal firm on July 18.

The father, according to Sumitha, was very concerned about Rayhan's safety after learning that he was being hunted by authorities.

"My client's instruction, for now, is to ensure the son's safety and whatever necessary assistance to be given and the safety is our responsibility," Selvaraja added.

He said they have yet to be able to furnish further information on what is going to happen to Rayhan, as they have yet to meet the investigating officer in charge of the case.

The lawyers were hoping to be able to do it soon and also to meet their client.

"We are waiting for the call from the investigation officer so that we would know what is the direction of their investigation or any decision taken by the department regarding our client.

"And in this case, we have the responsibility to keep the family updated, as his parents are very worried about the safety of their son.

"This was the reason we came here today, which was to get the latest update to inform his family," Selvaraja said.

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