Cleaner cells and more civilised treatment of prisoners were among the recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) in a report, compiled after visiting the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

In the report which was released today, Suhakam said: "The picture of a prisoner in a lock-up is a person who has not been convicted of any crime or one who may be merely be a traffic offender.

"And this person is allowed to be only in shorts or underwear, expected to sleep and rest on cement slab, and has to endure smelly environment with poor water and toilet facilities."

The commission which visited the police headquarters on June 18 also found the lock-ups to be overcrowded and plagued with a water shortage.

Prisoners were also not provided with clothing and bedding as per required by the 1953 Lock-up Rules, lamented the 16-page report.

It also added the police did not consider access to legal counsel as an important right of the prisoner.

Re-open Pudu Jail

Suhakam recommended that to solve overcrowding, the Pudu Jail be re-opened as soon as possible and be used as a detention centre by the Dang Wangi police.

Cells in the police station were only gazetted to accommodate 38 prisoners but it had to contain as many as 150 prisoners at one point in time, said the report.

"The police themselves raised the problem of congestion and were concerned by possible instances of rioting when lock-ups are overcrowded."

"It is also of concern that the police have the opinion that the comfort of prisoners was not a pertinent issue... it is highly likely that there is inadequate space for the prisoners to sleep or even sit down at night."

On clothing, the commission recommended that unconvicted prisoners be allowed to wear their own clothes, or be permitted to be decently clothed.

According to the report, police told the visiting commissioners that prisoners were left in their underwear as per the Lock-up Rules. But Suhakam expressed concern over this interpretation of the rules.

The rules state that "all clothing, other than one set, shall be removed."

Suicide woes

Meanwhile, the report also highlighted the police's hesitance in providing blankets to prisoners fearing they may attempt suicide.

"There should not be an issue of suicide attempts if the police are supposed to be monitoring these prisoners 24 hours daily," stressed the report.

The report also pointed out that the lack of water supply made the cells smelly and recommended that the approval for purchase of additional water tanks and pumps be expedited.

"Prisoners should also be given more comfortable bedding than cement slabs and there should be proper ventilation in confined places."

The report also recommended that all prisoners be allowed access to legal counsel.

"It would appear that the police do not consider legal access as an important right of prisoners. Comments made to give this impression include a preference highlighted by the police for lawyers not to interfere."

No access

The report proposed that prisoners appoint lawyers personally and not just leave it to their families to do so.

Suhakam was also critical of the police for not allowing its commissioners to interview the prisoners.

"Commissioners should be allowed to speak to detainees in full confidentiality... the purpose of the visit is to ensure that detainees are not treated in a inhuman way."

Suhakam also complained that police had not allowed female members of the five-member delegation to visit the lock-ups.

Members of the delegation were Lee Lam Thye, Prof Hamdan Adnan, Mehrun Siraj and two commission staff.

This report is Suhakam's fifth in since its formation last April. Previously, the commission had released its maiden annual report, the freedom of assembly report and its report on police brutality during the 100,000 Peoples Gathering along the Kesas Highway last November.

Today, the commission also released another report compiled after visiting the Internal Security Act detention centre in Kamunting, Perak.