'What privacy?': Saifuddin defends cops on health club raid

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has defended the police’s action in raiding a health club alleged to have been involved in same-sex activities.

Saifuddin claimed that the raid, which resulted in the arrest of over 200 individuals, did not violate their privacy.

He stated that the raid was carried out after a long surveillance period and that the arrests took place on public premises.

“Privacy is when a person is alone at home. This is a public premises with 201 people, what privacy are we talking about?

“It is an immoral act that cannot be defended by any religion,” he said during a press conference after attending the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Symposium in Kuala Lumpur today.

Saifuddin was commenting on criticism that the raid violated the privacy of the individuals involved, leading to the dissemination of their personal information.

One political activist is believed to have spread personal information, including the names, occupations, and photographs of some of the individuals arrested in the operation.

Remand order rejected

Despite the massive operation, the New Straits Times reported Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus as saying that 171 suspects were released as the authorities failed to obtain a remand order.

Fadil said their remand application was dismissed as it was submitted late, which he claimed was due to the large number of detainees, and that the authorities could not proceed with their investigations under Sections 377 and 372 of the Penal Code due to a lack of evidence.

He added that the authorities could not charge any of the detainees as none of them claimed to be victims of exploitation, prostitution, or unnatural sex.

Yesterday, PSM Youth deputy chairperson Aiman Sees described the raid as a reckless action that violated fundamental human rights, which also led to personal information being spread.

He claimed that their identities were exposed due to media presence during the raid.

“Over the past three days, personal details have been spread on social media, including the suspects’ demographics, workplaces, and marital status.

“Furthermore, some online media published reports that are insensitive to the suspects’ personal information, as if there were no journalistic ethics,” Aiman noted.

Legal constraints

Saifuddin said legal constraints had left the police with no choice but to release those detained.

The minister said he had been briefed by Fadil, concluding that a review of the laws is needed.

“At the end of the briefing, there was a need to look back at the existing laws... with the time constraints to complete the investigation paper... it was not enough to take action.

“This does not mean the investigation has stopped. If there is a need to call them back, we will call them back,” Saifuddin added.

Yesterday, the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) took statements from several of the men involved.

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