SYED HAMID: Investigation only after police report lodged

The police will only investigate a case or complaint only after a report has been lodged, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said.

However, he said, while the investigation was going on, it would be unfair to regard as guilty, those whose names appeared or were mentioned in the case.

"What we do is to hand over the report to the police for them to investigate. After the investigation is completed, then only can we determine whether charges can be brought against those involved.

"Meanwhile, the person (listed) is innocent until proven guilty,” he told reporters at the parliament lobby, here today.

Syed Hamid said every police report made would be investigated and the investigation papers would be handed over to the Attorney-General to decide whether the case could proceed.

He was asked to comment on police investigations on six individuals implicated in the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the V.K. Lingam video clip case.

The six were businessman Tan Sri Vincent Tan, former Chief Justices Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and Tun Eusoff Chin, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Lingam himself.

On the government’s proposal to set up a DNA profile data bank to facilitate police investigations, especially on repeat criminal offenders, Syed Hamid said it was not known when the plan could be implemented.

In April, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said a Bill for the setting up of the data bank would be tabled in parliament in June, the latest.

With the data bank, all DNA samples will be kept for investigation purpose and as evidence in court.

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