Special Branch (Malaysia)
Special Branch Cawangan Khas | |
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Abbreviation | SB |
Agency overview | |
Formed | 1948 |
Preceding agency |
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Jurisdictional structure | |
National agency | Malaysia |
Operations jurisdiction | Malaysia |
Primary governing body | Government of Malaysia |
Secondary governing body | Royal Malaysia Police |
Constituting instrument |
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General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Overseen by | Ministry of Home Affairs (Malaysia) |
Headquarters | Bukit Aman |
Minister responsible |
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Agency executive |
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Notables | |
Significant operations |
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The Special Branch or SB (
The SB is also empowered to analyse and advise on the necessary course of action to the various departments and agencies both within the Police Department and other related agencies. In the past, they have worked together in reforming the Thai Special Branch.[5]
Background
The Special Branch is a department within the Royal Malaysia Police that is responsible for gathering and analyzing intelligence to maintain national security. The agency was established in 1948 during the British colonial era and has since evolved to become a key intelligence agency in Malaysia.[6]
The SB was initially modelled after the Special Branch of the United Kingdom.
Activities
Communist insurgency (1948–1989)
During the
The Special Branch's activities during the Emergency were widely praised, garnering accolades such as one calling it "one of the finest establishments of its kind in the world".[3] Other intelligence agencies sent observers to a Special Branch training centre in the Malayan capital of Kuala Lumpur to learn its tactics of infiltration and espionage.[3] It was during this period that the British "Asianized" the Special Branch, replacing its crop of British spies and officers with trained locals.[7]
Anwar Ibrahim scandal
In 1998, former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was charged with sodomy and corruption, both crimes in Malaysia. During his trial, a number of statements were made by Special Branch officials, who had been implicated in the case.
One allegation made against Anwar was that he had ordered Special Branch officials to obtain retractions of the sodomy-related allegations against him. However, the Special Branch officials involved told the court that they had reason to believe the charges were fabricated by Anwar's political opponents. Two Special Branch men involved were its then Director, Mohamed Said bin Awang, and Second Deputy Director, Amir bin Junus. One witness at the trial testified that Mohamed Said had told Anwar to allow the Special Branch to look into the matter, instead of Anwar directing the Special Branch to cover it up.
During the trial, Mohamed Said shed light on the Special Branch's practices — mainly by explaining what was called a "turning-over operation", whereby retractions were obtained. At one point, he described it as a "great secret", and refused to elaborate beyond his explanation that "Basically we do a quick assessment on our target, then we see how the possibilities are to turn over their stand," and that "If it is a certain political stand, we may neutralize the stand if it is a security threat".[8] Mohamed Said later responded to the question "If someone higher than the deputy prime minister were to instruct you to come and lie to the court here, would you do it?" with "Depends on the situation." After being pressed for a clarification by the judge, he said, "I may or I may not".[9]
Raja Petra claims
The arrest of Mas Selamat Kastari
In February 2008, a major leader of the Singaporean Jemaah Islamiah (JI), Mas Selamat escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Center, a detention centre of the most stringent in Southeast Asia. A few months later, he was found hiding in a village house in Kampung Tawakal, Skudai, 40 km from the city of Johor Bahru.
With the surveillance and planning with tactical raids well planned, on 1 April 2009 06:00 AM with the help from UTK counter-terrorist unit, the Special Branch managed to apprehend the leader of the militants in the home village. UTK outflank every corner of the house when Mas Selamat was sleeping.
According to witnesses the incident, Mohd Saat Marjo, 57, who was a neighbour next door told that a UTK armed with automatic weapons, along with members of the Special Branch in plain clothes, stormed the house through two gates which are broken as soon as Mas Selamat refused to come out to surrender even called by the police. He was handcuffed and his face was covered with dark blue cloth before being taken out.
Abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat
In 2019, a national inquiry held by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (SUHAKAM) concluded that agents of the Special Branch were responsible for the abduction of Amri Che Mat in 2016 and Raymond Koh in 2017.[12]
See also
- Special Branch - Other Special Branch units in Britain and Commonwealth countries/territories
Notes and references
- ^ Comber, page 3
- ^ "Baharuddin dilantik Pengarah Cawangan Khas Bukit Aman" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b c "Special Branch". Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ "National & Public Inquiry Reports – SUHAKAM: Public Inquiry Into The Disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh And Amri Che Mat (Final Decision) 2019". Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Comber, 257.
- ^ "All in Good Faith? Proximity, Politicization and the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation" (PDF). p. 7. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ISBN 0-19-582681-7.
- ^ "Secret tactics used by Malaysian police, top cop tells Anwar trial". CNN. Archived from the original on 8 May 2001. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ "Malaysia's intelligence chief tells Anwar trial he would lie". CNN. Archived from the original on 9 June 2001. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- ^ "Fugitive militant finds rustic retreat away from prying eyes". thestar.com.my. 11 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 May 2009.
- ^ "Cuma hubungi dua kenalan". Utusan Online. 10 May 2009.
- ^ "National & Public Inquiry Reports – SUHAKAM: Public Inquiry Into The Disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh And Amri Che Mat (Final Decision) 2019". Retrieved 30 April 2022.
Further reading
- Comber, Leon (2006). "Malaya's Secret Police 1945–60. The Role of the Special Branch in the Malayan Emergency". PhD dissertation, Monash University. Melbourne: ISEAS (Institute of SE Asian Affairs, Singapore) and MAI (Monash Asia Institute).
External links
- Pro-democracy activist held in Malaysia during Myanmar president's visit[permanent dead link]
- Call for investigation into kidnapping of exiled Burmese journalist
- Abuse of Power Under the ISA
- Brutality in our own backyard
- Memorandum to SUHAKAM: Abuse of Section 18 of ISA in turning over detainees
- List of Royal Malaysian Police Force Address & Tel.
- "Cawangan Khas" on Royal Malaysia Police official website