Last Updated: Tuesday, 3 May, 2005, 18:22 GMT 19:22 UK Malaysia may fingerprint babies
Plans to fingerprint all newborn babies in Malaysia have come under attack from civil liberties groups. [PHOTO: Mother and baby - Police in Malaysia want to record the fingerprints of all babies] Police officers hope to store the information on a computer database to help catch criminals in the future. They are proposing that all newborns should also have their palm prints and footprints recorded. Rights groups have described the proposal as ill-conceived and accuse the police of wanting to treat all children as potential criminals. 'Improved detection rate' Police hope that computer software could allow for the growth of baby hands and feet to adult proportions, and match marks found at crime scenes to innocent dabs given years before. Officers believe the move would improve the force's detection rate, and they may ask for a change in the law to allow it. However, civil liberties groups in Malaysia have dismissed the fingerprinting proposal as poorly thought-out and illogical. The rights group Voice of the Malaysian People, or Suaram, has accused the police of wanting to treat all children as potential criminals. It says such a move would create a climate of fear and intimidation. The national human rights society in Malaysia, Hakam, has called the fingerprinting suggestion ludicrous, saying it is worthy of Big Brother in George Orwell's novel 1984. The BBC's Jonathan Kent in Kuala Lumpur says that if the Malaysian police get their way, the country's children will have their first brush with the law in the maternity ward. Malaysia's home affairs ministry has declined to comment on the plan to the BBC. SEE ALSO: Country profile: Malaysia 02 Apr 05 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1304569.stm Malay dissident talks about Islam 30 Apr 05 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/4501789.stm Malaysia to curb 'moral policing' 26 Mar 05 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4383911.stm Malaysians condemn 'state spying' 22 Mar 05 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4370781.stm Illegal workers hide in Malaysia 02 Mar 05 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4310769.stm Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4510521.stm ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Does he tell you he loves you when he's hitting you? Abuse. Narrated by Halle Berry. http://us.click.yahoo.com/aFQ_rC/isnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.org *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Lihat arsip sebelumnya, www.ppi-india.da.ru; 4. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
