No SOP Breach In British Tourist’s Detention - Penang Cops 

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Penang police have clarified that there was no breach of standard operating procedures (SOP) during the detention and remand of a British tourist arrested for vandalising a parking barrier in Batu Ferringhi recently.

Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad said the 47-year-old man was held at the Bayan Baru centralised lockup, where all detainees are closely monitored by on-duty personnel.

“On Dec 8, a parking technician lodged a police report after a man damaged a parking barrier in Batu Ferringhi. The suspect broke the barrier with his hands after being unable to exit the area, and the incident was captured on CCTV.

“Following the report, police arrested the British national at 3 pm on Dec 9. He was remanded for four days before being charged at the George Town Magistrate's Court on Dec 12 under Section 427 of the Penal Code,” he told Bernama today.

The Wales Online portal reported on Feb 11 that the British citizen, Ahmed Hadi, claimed he was ‘trapped’ in Malaysia after the court seized his passport as part of his bail conditions for damaging the parking barrier.

Hadi also alleged that eight weeks after the incident, his passport was still withheld, leaving him in a dilemma. The article quoted him describing Malaysia as a ‘hell hole with no human rights,’ claiming 50 detainees shared a single toilet in the lockup.

Hamzah, meanwhile, said the tourist was granted bail of RM12,000 with three local guarantors, and his passport was submitted to the court pending case resolution.

Case mention was initially fixed for Jan 22 but it was then postponed to Feb 13.

“On Feb 13, the complainant withdrew the police report after the accused paid RM1,000 in damages. The case was classified as discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA), and the passport was returned.

“The passport was under court jurisdiction and was not handled by the police,” Hamzah said.

-- BERNAMA