The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) have been called upon to explain the visible differences in how two high-profile individuals were handled when being brought to court to face charges.
UMNO Youth Chief, Datuk Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh, raised concerns over whether inconsistent Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) exist for transporting accused persons to judicial proceedings.
The issue surfaced following a Facebook post by Dr Akmal on Tuesday, where he pointed out the contrasting treatment of independent preacher Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu and activist Arun Dorasamy.
“One was handcuffed while the other was not. Can the police explain why this occurred? Is the SOP different because Arun was accompanied by a Deputy Minister compared to Zamri? We demand a clarification,” he stated in his social media update.
Dr Akmal further questioned the transparency and fairness of current enforcement actions. He drew a parallel to a separate incident involving a reversed flag, claiming that the individual who defended the flag faced charges while the person who allegedly reversed it intentionally remained free.
The controversy began when Muhammad Zamri Vinoth was seen entering the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in handcuffs and under heavy police escort before his proceeding. In contrast, activist Arun Dorasamy arrived at the Jawi Magistrate’s Court in Penang without handcuffs, accompanied by M. Kulasegaran, the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform).
Both individuals were charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code. Each has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
Legal representatives for the parties involved have also voiced concerns regarding the perceived disparity in treatment, echoing the call for a uniform application of police protocols regardless of an individual’s background or associations.
