Men Health Centre Patrons Mull Legal Action Cite Trauma Privacy Breach

---

 


A group of men detained in the Nov 28 raid on a health centre in Kuala Lumpur are considering legal action against the authorities.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one individual told Malaysiakini that those affected are weighing their options as the operation has left several of them deeply traumatised.
“A lot of people say that since we were there (at the health centre), it means we are directly involved in the case. The public has already judged us, even though there isn’t enough evidence.
“Our faces have already been made public. (The question now is) Can we sue the authorities?” the person asked.
He also claimed that the raid compromised the privacy of those detained, as uncensored videos of the men were circulated on social media.
“We are in trauma now. A lot of people cannot sleep, some even lost their family or their job,” he added.
His account mirrors that of others detained, including a government officer who was reportedly instructed to resign after being nabbed during the raid.
Court rejects remand application
According to news reports, authorities detained 201 men aged between 19 and 60 at the Jalan Raja Laut premises after receiving public tip-offs and conducting a surveillance operation.
Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Azani Omar was quoted by Berita Harian as saying that intelligence indicated “immoral activities” involving gay men at the premises.
Those arrested reportedly included 80 Muslim men, as well as foreigners from South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, and China.
However, the court rejected the police’s remand application for those detained.
Privacy infringement
Rights group Justice for Sisters (JFS) condemned the operation, calling it discriminatory, and said the authorities had targeted a health centre based on perceptions of its clientele.
JFS also criticised the presence of reporters during the raid, which it said resulted in further violations of the patrons’ privacy.
On Dec 2, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended the police action, insisting that the raid did not infringe on anyone’s privacy.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail“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.
However, DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh shot back at Saifuddin, saying his comments were uncalled for as the case had not been investigated properly.
“Such comments, without the benefit of proper investigations, are clearly an affront to the principle of one being innocent until proven guilty.
“Saifuddin should know better before making such remarks, which can be detrimental to the integrity of the investigation process,” the Bukit Gelugor MP added. - Mkini

---