Special Branch police have withdrawn their demand for universities to provide them with information about the backgrounds of their Muslim students.
Spokesman of the House Committee on Laws, Justice Process and Human Rights, Mr. Rangsiman Rome, said today that the committee was informed by the Special Branch that they had ceased the practice.
The Special Branch’s checks are considered, by Muslim students, to be a violation of their human rights and an act of intimidation, adding that the House committee has asked representatives of the Special Branch why they were interested in Muslim students and what information they were seeking.
He said the response from the Special Branch was vague and evasive as they insisted that the information was classified and related to national security.
Since the Special Branch have ceased the controversial background checks, Rangsiman said the House committee is ready to cooperate with the police and will ensure that their deeds match their words.
Assuring that the House committee attaches importance to protecting human rights, he said committee members will visit the four southernmost provinces on October 30th and 31st to meet with representatives of civil groups and the people’s network to discuss their problems.
