A magistrate told the ongoing Suhakam inquiry that he did not order the immediate release of a Form Five student who was due to sit for her exams because the police had assured him that she would be released soon.

"I was assured by the investigating officer Stephen Ganeson that he would speak to his superior officer and have her released as soon as possible with bail," said Mohd Iskandar Ismail, who is attached to the Magistrates' Court in Klang.

Umi Jumaina Mohd Jan, who was arrested on Nov 5 at the aborted "100,000 People's Gathering", was only released on Nov 9.

The 17-year-old, who was scheduled to sit for her examinations on Nov 13, had earlier testified before the inquiry. ([#1] Police threatened and beat me, girl tells inquiry [/#], Dec 13)

When panel member Mehrun Siraj asked if Iskandar had the power to give a one-day remand instead of five days, he replied "yes".

Asked why he had not done, Iskandar said a police officer assured him that the issue would be raised with a superior officer.

When pressed again by Mehrun why he did not give the one-day remand, he replied: "The matter had already been passed on to the police. It was beyond my control."

When inquiry chairman Anuar Zainal Abidin asked if Iskandar had authorised for the injured among those arrested to be brought to a hospital, Iskandar said he had ordered a police officer to do so.

"I told a policeman to take those injured to a hospital and the officer said 'yes'. I had fulfilled my duty," he said.

The inquiry yesterday heard from witness Hafzal Ismail that he was not given immediate medical attention despite his injuries. ([#2] Police behaved like gangsters, witness tells inquiry [/#], Dec 3)

Cramp conditions

Iskandar also told the inquiry that he gave a five-day remand order in spite of the police's application for a 10-day remand for those detained during the gathering.

"I did not allow for it (the 10-day remand) because it would have been under prison conditions which are very cramped," he said.

He added that there were two applications from the police for a remand order, the first on Nov 4 involving six people arrested following their failure to "disperse and obstruction of public officials".

Iskandar added that the second application was made on Nov 5 to remand 116 people on charges of "illegal assembly".

"I explained to all those who were arrested the reasons for their arrest. I met those arrested at the police station in Port Klang," Iskandar said.

The Suhakam inquiry is investigating allegations of police brutality against participants of a gathering organising by the opposition party Keadilan last year.

The inquiry will continue on Jan 15 and 17 at the Suhakam headquarters in Menara Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

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