Turn yourself in to cops, lawyer tells Jamal Yunos

PETALING JAYA: Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos' (pic) legal team is urging him to present himself to the police.

"On May 25, while we (the legal team) were assisting the bail process for Datuk Seri Jamal over charges which were read to him at the hospital in the morning, we realised that he had left the ward before it was completed.

"We failed to locate him to complete the process yesterday (May 25) afternoon," said his lawyer Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin in a statement on Saturday (May 26).

Mohd Imran added that he was brought to the Ampang Jaya police headquarters to assist the police in locating and completing the bail process.

"After nearly 10 hours, we were then allowed to leave. I urge all to help us and the police to locate him in order to complete the process.

"I believe that there might be some 'miscommunication' between us and him about the process as this is the first time he has been charged outside the courts.

"I also believe that there was no intention to commit any crime, including running away from custody. I worry that he might have been under some trauma or felt pressured as this is a new situation for him," he added.

The lawyer also apologised to the police, courts and the hospital over the incident.

He also added that there was no need for the police to arrest him.

"I believe the police will provide the assistance and help needed without the need of any arrest. It is urged that Datuk Seri Jamal contact us, his legal team or present himself straight to the Ampang Jaya police station," he said.

The Red Shirts leader was under police remand at the Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital's premium ward, where he was undergoing treatment for back pain, when he escaped from police custody on May 25.

Jamal, 48, was charged earlier that day under Section 290 of the Penal Code with breaking bottles of alcohol in public to protest the Better Beer Festival 2017.

The offence carries a fine of RM400.

According to the charge sheet, Jamal is said to have broken a number of alcohol bottles using a hammer, causing danger and public distress.

He is said to have committed the offence at the exit gate of Pos (1) Darul Ehsan State Government Secretaries building (Bangunan SUK Darul Ehsan) at 10.15am on Oct 5, 2017.

He pleaded not guilty in the premium ward in front of magistrate Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin.

The court granted bail of RM3,000 in one surety and set June 8 for mention at the Shah Alam magistrate's court.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Fadzil Ahmat said: "However, before the bail was processed, he went missing."

On Tuesday (May 22), Jamal was arrested at about 1.15pm at the hospital over investigations into a case under Section 34 of the Firearms Act 1960.