Probe into case involving RPK’s jailed son

PUTRAJAYA: The Prisons Department director-general lodged a police report to enable a probe into whether Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin’s son was mistreated in prison.

Home Minister Datuk Hisham­muddin Hussein said he had directed department head Datuk Zulkifli Omar to lodge the report on Wednesday following what he described as baseless claims of abuse against Raja Azman circulating in the Internet.

He said the findings of the probe would be revealed once investigations, which would provide a true account of how Raja Azman was injured or if he had indeed been abused while being held in prison, were completed.

“I told the Prisons director-general that he should lodge a report to allow the police to investigate the matter because if the people will not believe his account, then we will bring in a different authority to look into the matter,” he told a press conference here.

The report was lodged at the Batu Arang police station in Rawang.

It was reported that Raja Azman, 34, who was being held under remand at the Sungai Buloh prison, was rushed to the Sungai Buloh Hospital on Tuesday after he was believed to have swallowed a razor blade and injured his wrists.

The Prisons Department claimed that there was no sign of torture, abuse, pressure or force inflicted upon him but various blogs and the international media indicated foul play was involved.

Raja Petra alleged in his news portal that prisons authorities had physically and mentally tortured his son and that was why he resorted to such drastic action.

Hishammuddin also said that Raja Azman’s arrest was not done with malicious intent as indicated by some, adding that he was picked up for his involvement in a theft case.

“He even admitted to his involvement in the theft when he was taken to court so there is no question of the arrest being made due to some hidden purpose,” he said.

On another matter, Hisham­mu­ddin said the ministry was currently preparing a paper on ways to improve the monitoring of foreigners and illegal immigrants in the country.

He said the paper would be tabled at a Cabinet-level meeting on foreigners and illegal immigrants to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Feb 22.

He said once completed, the paper would be submitted to the Higher Education, Human Resource and International Trade and Industry ministries to obtain feedback before the final draft was tabled at the Cabinet committee.

The paper would, among others, look at ways to tighten control at all entry and exit points and improve the monitoring of those entering the country.