HOME Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has clarified that police cannot arbitrarily check a person's mobile phone.
"The police force is not an agency that randomly inspects people's mobile phones. That is not true," he told a press conference.
"Of course, there are procedures, guidelines, and laws that provide the police with the legal standing to act in specific situations," he said.
Saifuddin also urged the public to lodge a police report if they feel their phone was checked without a valid reason by any police officer.
“Police must have a clear basis, such as intelligence suggesting an individual is involved in criminal activities, to conduct such checks.
“There are laws in place and police must act within their scope.”
Saifuddin was referring to a Jan 14 statement by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, who said the police have the authority to check a person’s mobile phone based on reasonable suspicion.
He said he has also instructed Razarudin to meet with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) to address concerns regarding the police's authority to inspect mobile devices.
Yesterday, Suhakam called on the government and police to clarify the matter after Razarudin was reported as saying on Tuesday that police have the authority to examine a person's mobile phone if there is suspicion or evidence suggesting they have committed a crime.
Rights group Lawyers for Liberty had also rebutted Razarudin’s claim, calling it “legally untenable” and a threat to civil liberties.
It said police cannot check mobile phones except in the course of an ongoing investigation or search. - January 19, 2025
