(Mr Chor Chee Heung is the Deputy Minister for Home Affairs. Unsurprisingly, he gave the usual political answers when confronted in Parliament over the Bandar Mahkota Cheras incident in which according to media reports Chang Jiun Haur was assaulted and battered by FRU officers)
For goodness sake, Mr Chor, why does every answer have to be a political one.
The fact is a young man lies in the intensive care unit of a hospital. He was put there by some twenty police officers who beat him up. They say that he was trying to run them over but not a single police officer appears to have been injured. There is also a great deal of doubt as to whether the young man was trying to run over police officers, or anyone for that matter, or was simply trying to leave the scene, perhaps realizing his mistake for having stopped in the first place.
And the fact is that no amount of provocation short of a direct threat on life warranted a reprisal of this form by the police officers.
Perhaps, Mr Chor, you would care to remind yourself, and the Minister, that you are not the Inspector General of Police and as such, you are not directly responsible for the misconduct of police officers. Perhaps you would even care to remind yourself, and the Minister, that your ministry is responsible for determining fairly what it is that happened and to take steps to ensure that it does not happen again.
The fact is, Mr Chor, the Royal Malaysia Police is regrettably virtually synonymous with police brutality. I do not say this of my own accord, I am merely reiterating what it is a Royal Commission of Enquiry had come to conclude. You may recall that the Royal Commission had strongly recommended the establishment of an independent complaints and misconduct commission to address the kind of conduct that was making Malaysians lose faith in the police force. You may recall the proposed independent commission by its acronym, IPCMC, just as you may recall that your government has failed to establish the IPCMC despite promises that the recommendations of the Royal Commission would be given effect.
Incidentally, Mr Chor, you may also wish to remind yourself that one of the reasons that the Commission of Enquiry felt the need for the IPCMC was a seeming unwillingness on the part of the police force to investigate its own conduct. Were it otherwise, why would the Royal Commission have proposed a draft law for the IPCMC which declared, in its preamble:
“An Act to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission whose principle functions are to receive and investigate into complaints about the Royal Malaysia Police, to detect, investigate and prevent police corruption and other serious police misconduct, to set out the powers and functions of such Commission for improving police integrity, reducing misconduct and building public confidence and to ensure that there is vigilant oversight in Malaysia of the Royal Malaysia Police…”
It may also be useful to take note that the Royal Commission concluded in paragraph 2.6.8 of its report (page 53) that there was abuse of power on the part of some police personnel and that if those guilty of abusing their power were not punished, this problem would persist. There appears to have been no action taken, and if there was it was not publicized, in connection with the shootings at Pantai Batu Burok late last year, Bloody Sunday and the other very public instances of apparent police misconduct.
This puts paid to the suggestion on your part, Mr Chor, that the police force is capable of investigating the events at Bandar Mahkota Cheras fairly and professionally.
The fact is, Mr Chor, your Ministry is failing the rakyat grievously for failing to take meaningful steps to address this situation. Its continued inaction has resulted in Chang Jiun Haur being in hospital, the tears of his parents and family streaming into the river of tears of other parents, other families who have similarly suffered.
There are questions that need to be answered and action that has to be taken. We are primed however for no further action. In fact, Mr Chor, if the events of Pantai Batu Burok or the HINDRAF Batu Caves incident are anything to go by, we can reasonably expect Chang Jiun Haur to be charged in a court of law soon. Nothing surprises us anymore, your administration is capable of almost anything it would seem.
But then, Mr Chor, I suppose politics would make that an acceptable end for you. And you and your colleagues wonder why so many Malaysians are so sick of the Barisan Nasional?
MIS
For goodness sake, Mr Chor, why does every answer have to be a political one.
The fact is a young man lies in the intensive care unit of a hospital. He was put there by some twenty police officers who beat him up. They say that he was trying to run them over but not a single police officer appears to have been injured. There is also a great deal of doubt as to whether the young man was trying to run over police officers, or anyone for that matter, or was simply trying to leave the scene, perhaps realizing his mistake for having stopped in the first place.
And the fact is that no amount of provocation short of a direct threat on life warranted a reprisal of this form by the police officers.
Perhaps, Mr Chor, you would care to remind yourself, and the Minister, that you are not the Inspector General of Police and as such, you are not directly responsible for the misconduct of police officers. Perhaps you would even care to remind yourself, and the Minister, that your ministry is responsible for determining fairly what it is that happened and to take steps to ensure that it does not happen again.
The fact is, Mr Chor, the Royal Malaysia Police is regrettably virtually synonymous with police brutality. I do not say this of my own accord, I am merely reiterating what it is a Royal Commission of Enquiry had come to conclude. You may recall that the Royal Commission had strongly recommended the establishment of an independent complaints and misconduct commission to address the kind of conduct that was making Malaysians lose faith in the police force. You may recall the proposed independent commission by its acronym, IPCMC, just as you may recall that your government has failed to establish the IPCMC despite promises that the recommendations of the Royal Commission would be given effect.
Incidentally, Mr Chor, you may also wish to remind yourself that one of the reasons that the Commission of Enquiry felt the need for the IPCMC was a seeming unwillingness on the part of the police force to investigate its own conduct. Were it otherwise, why would the Royal Commission have proposed a draft law for the IPCMC which declared, in its preamble:
“An Act to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission whose principle functions are to receive and investigate into complaints about the Royal Malaysia Police, to detect, investigate and prevent police corruption and other serious police misconduct, to set out the powers and functions of such Commission for improving police integrity, reducing misconduct and building public confidence and to ensure that there is vigilant oversight in Malaysia of the Royal Malaysia Police…”
It may also be useful to take note that the Royal Commission concluded in paragraph 2.6.8 of its report (page 53) that there was abuse of power on the part of some police personnel and that if those guilty of abusing their power were not punished, this problem would persist. There appears to have been no action taken, and if there was it was not publicized, in connection with the shootings at Pantai Batu Burok late last year, Bloody Sunday and the other very public instances of apparent police misconduct.
This puts paid to the suggestion on your part, Mr Chor, that the police force is capable of investigating the events at Bandar Mahkota Cheras fairly and professionally.
The fact is, Mr Chor, your Ministry is failing the rakyat grievously for failing to take meaningful steps to address this situation. Its continued inaction has resulted in Chang Jiun Haur being in hospital, the tears of his parents and family streaming into the river of tears of other parents, other families who have similarly suffered.
There are questions that need to be answered and action that has to be taken. We are primed however for no further action. In fact, Mr Chor, if the events of Pantai Batu Burok or the HINDRAF Batu Caves incident are anything to go by, we can reasonably expect Chang Jiun Haur to be charged in a court of law soon. Nothing surprises us anymore, your administration is capable of almost anything it would seem.
But then, Mr Chor, I suppose politics would make that an acceptable end for you. And you and your colleagues wonder why so many Malaysians are so sick of the Barisan Nasional?
MIS
12 comments:
Imtiaz,
Assuming the guy had actually knocked down 2 policemen and injured them. Take that accusation as proven. Did the police have the power to beat him up like that? The stopped him. Take him out. Read his rights. And arrest him. That's their power. Where is it in the Criminal Procedure Code which empowers the police to drag a person out of his car and beaten up, even with reasonable suspicions that the guy had committed an offence?
There is NO such right, in WHATEVER circumstances.
Thanks MIS for saying it all.
Shame on you Mr. Chor for hiding behind the political skirt of BN!
Have you no mind of your own?
I do not feel ashamed and dissapointed, but feel angered by what this so called minister has said. Hey whatever you wanna call yourself, if you don't know the situation, don't say anything! Have you gone down there to see what has happened? Have you not seen the video of the beating by the police/FRUs? If you don't how to use the internet, ask your children to show the video to you. Go and watch the video, then you come and talk to us! I am a resident there so if you have nothing better to say, just shut up!
If we don't read the Malaysiakini, where are we going to get accurate news? Read the local newspapers controlled by the government? Believe in what you say? Come on Mr. Whatever, we are not stupid to believe in whatever we read, we have the intelligence to judge it for ourselves, not like you! You are not fit to represent the people, I suggest you resign from your post and come and live in Bandar Mahkota Cheras! We will represent you!
There is none so very blind
As he who refuses or can't see
Beyond the bloody concrete sea
With only injustice and brutality to find
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 300508
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Fri. 30th May 2008.
This Chor remarks remind me of the case of the police manhandling Indian nationals' IT professionals in Brickfield, KL a few years back. The following day after the manhandling abuse, Syed Hamid (think he was the foreign minister at that time) said that our police is professional, and does not do this kind of nonsense. A week later, Pak Lah finally apologised for this incident to the Indian IT professionals & Gov't. Well, you know what they got an apology because Indian Gov't is powerful, and is also an important customer to Malaysia.
Too bad for Malaysians, who are going to be representing u? The only way is for Opposition State gov'ts to take over the federal gov't!!
if the events of Pantai Batu Burok or the HINDRAF Batu Caves incident are anything to go by, we can reasonably expect Chang Jiun Haur to be charged in a court of law soon
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/83697
BMC four investigated for attempted murder
Four onlookers caught unawares in the Bandar Mahkota Cheras (BMC) scuffle on the night of May 27, are being investigated for attempted murder and rioting, said Kajang police chief ACP Shakaruddin Che Mood.
i really dont know what to say
As usual, an excellent piece. You have the uncanny abitlity of taking our thoughts and commititng them to paper so eloquently.
In Malaysia, little children are told to behave or 'the policeman will catch you'! So at an early age, kids are taught to fear them, rather than seek them out when in trouble. Perhaps our mamas knew what they were talking about, eh?
chor,
wish I can pray the same fate befalls upon any of your family members so that you can feel the pain. but then, I dont belong to MCA, the breeding ground for such low-lives like you, so I aint gonna pray for this. Let nature takes its course and may you accept your karma then.
I am too distraught after hearing such excuses from a low-live like you. and now, the police open investigation for attempted murder? Please go ahead,chor cause this would provide the masses more reason and the impetus to kick out low lives and the entire MCA in the next election.
Not Royal Malasyian Polis. Imtiaz, it is now Polis UMNO Yang Raja Malaysia or PUYRM. does that explain the heroic nature of their actions and why no one will be admonished for it?
Should it be time for PR to exercising their pressure of inquiry in Parliament to demand a thorough investigation report of what going on in the Bandar Mahkota Cheras incident?
Give them a list of questions to be answered by the Police, FRU and Grand Saga.
There is no more confidence in the Barisan Nasional government, much less in the police force.
Chor Chee Heung, and subsequently MCA are totally irrelevant to our political climate these days.
Thank you MIS for speaking up for the poor boy. Please follow up on this tragic incident for the sake of our children.
Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi!
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