No complaints to IPCC yet on activist allegedly forced to strip naked in lock-up

The Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) has yet to receive any complaints from controversial activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak over claims that he was forced to strip naked while in police custody earlier this year.

Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that as of Sept 25, the IPCC had not received any complaints from Tamim regarding allegedly harsh treatment and orders to strip naked in front of other detainees while in lock-up.

“However, should any complaints of misconduct involving members of the police force be lodged, the IPCC will handle them in accordance with Section 25 of Act 839,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.

Saifuddin was referring to Section 25 of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022, which deals with the classification of complaints.

He was responding to Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (PN-Besut), who asked whether the IPCC had investigated Tamim’s allegations.

In February, Tamim alleged that he and three others were treated “like animals” and ordered to strip naked in front of police officers while in detention.

The activists were arrested to assist investigations into land-clearing work at a temple in Taman Rawang Perdana.

In a parliamentary reply in July, Saifuddin said it was not a police practice to strip detainees naked in lock-ups.

He said all enforcement agencies carrying out arrests are required to comply with Section 20A of the Criminal Procedure Code, while the Act’s Fourth Schedule prescribes the procedures for arrests, including body searches.