IGP furious at Raja Petra over ‘beating’ video

(NST) KUALA LUMPUR: The country's top cop yesterday rubbished a video posted on the website, Malaysia Today, allegedly showing police brutality during an interrogation.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan denied that the men featured in the five-minute grainy video, believed to be shot using a mobile phone camera, were policemen.

It showed a group of men, in white shirts and black pants, "interrogating" a suspect who was accused of raping a man's wife. They are seen punching and stomping on the man, who does not appear to fight back.

Website editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin posted a link to the YouTube video under the heading "Modern interrogation methods of the Malaysian police".

In a comment that accompanied the video Raja Petra wrote: "This is how the Malaysian police gets you to confess to crimes, even if you never committed them. But even after you do confess the 'interrogation' does not stop."

Enraged by the posting and the video, Musa called it "too much".

"He (Raja Petra) should be more responsible in his postings next time. He should take a good look at himself before accusing us.

"He's not the right person to denigrate us when he is on the run from the police."

Musa said the police were working with their counterparts in Australia to find Raja Petra who is said to be in Brisbane.

"We will also seek Interpol's help to locate him."

On April 23, a warrant of arrest was issued for 59-year-old Raja Petra after he had failed to turn up in court for his sedition trial.

He had claimed trial on May 6 last year to publishing a seditious article on April 25 on his web portal.

Raja Petra also claimed in his blog to be on self-imposed exile from Selangor because of a dispute with the sultan.

He said he would not be attending the hearings not only because of his brush with the palace but also because of his fear of another Internal Security Act detention and possible treason charges.