Summary

  • Terengganu Menteri Besar Samsuri Mokhtar sends two representatives to deliver a memorandum to Suhakam over the ‘Travel Control Office/Order’ (TCO).

  • In the memorandum, Samsuri protests alleged excessive surveillance and political intimidation violating his human rights.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar had two representatives deliver a memorandum to Suhakam over the “Travel Control Office/Order” (TCO) he claimed he was under.

His political secretary Soud Said, and lawyer Kamilia Ibrahim handed over the memorandum protesting what Samsuri described as "excessive surveillance" and political intimidation that violated his human rights.

"Through this memorandum, I hope that any form of abuse of power will be stopped immediately.

"I also call for enforcement institutions to be strengthened with the principle of accountability, so that no more leaders or citizens become victims of political pressure to restore the people's trust in the country's justice system and democracy," he said in a statement on Facebook today.

On April 10, Samsuri claimed he was flagged under the TCO - a domestic security designation for individuals purportedly deemed a “risk” or “threat”.

He also alleged that he was being followed and his phone lines were tapped.

However, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim dismissed Samsuri's claims, saying that all high-ranking officials in the country, including himself, are under surveillance.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had also clarified that as the head of the state government, Samsuri is accorded a security detail at all times, and additional surveillance would not be necessary.

Afterwards, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain clarified that TCO actually refers to a “travel control officer” - a special branch police officer who is on duty at the country’s entry and exit points.

But Samsuri did not budge on his claims, pointing to a photo circulating on social media showing him sitting in a cordoned-off area, seemingly with access to his phone and his luggage by his side.

He said the photo was probably taken by a member of the public while he was being “held” at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on April 7.

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