The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has suspended with immediate effect the requirement for persons under investigation to wear its orange lock-up attire when they are brought to court for remand proceedings.
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman said the decision followed recent developments and recommendations concerning procedures for handling persons under investigation, particularly when they are taken to court.
“Persons under investigation will be allowed to wear ordinary clothing when brought to court, while lock-up attire will only be worn during the period they are detained in the lock-up,” he said in a statement today.
The change means suspects who have yet to be formally charged will no longer be required to appear in the distinctive orange attire during remand applications.
Abd Halim said the use of handcuffs would meanwhile depend on the circumstances of individual cases.
Exemptions would apply to suspects who are infirm, persons with disabilities, children and senior citizens.
The MACC announcement came after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said earlier today that individuals detained by the anti-graft agency should not be required to wear orange attire when taken to court for remand proceedings.
Anwar said individuals who were fully cooperating with investigations should not have to wear the attire when appearing in court before they had been formally charged.
He said such a change was appropriate to avoid creating a negative public perception of individuals who remained under investigation and had not yet faced any criminal charge.
