FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA STATEMENT
A shiver ran down my spine as I read the following tweets from our Inspector General of Police – Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar:
“@PDRMsia malam tadi telah tangkap 6 Ahli Kumpulan Haram KitaLawan di DM yg telah mengganas dgn membelasah P’kuasa DBKL. Ini kah p’himpunan Aman?” http://twitter.com/KBAB51/status/581256973024260096.
[@PDRMsia last night arrested 6 members of the illegal KitaLawan group at DM – they who were terrorizing by beating up DBKL Enforcement officers. Is this a peaceful assembly?]A cursory look at the videos posted online of the said arrest incident would prove the IGP’s statement to be malicious and irresponsible to say the least.
The two recordings below indicate a different version of events, which mandate a thorough investigation and careful deliberation by the IGP:
(http://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=916966304991300)
(http://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=381880238680156)
The videos show troubling patterns of disproportionate force exercised against persons without a criminal record, including two state assemblymen for merely exercising their rights as enshrined under the Federal Constitution. Worse, Tan Kar Hing (ADUN Simpang Pulai), Chang Lih Kang (ADUN Teja), Michael Tamil AL, Gan Zhi Mou, Chee Chu Sang and Yong Ming Chong were staging a peaceful protest devoid of any criminal activities. They are no terrorists. Instead, the videos point to instances of police brutality.
KEADILAN (Parti KEADILAN Rakyat) has been consistent in assisting the police in their investigations. All persons associated with KEADILAN connected to the #KitaLawan rallies have successfully reported for duty when summoned by the police. There is absolutely no reason to resort to such harsh bullying tactics or brutality; lending credence that the police is following politically motivated instructions to clampdown on dissent and the opposition.
KEADILAN urges the authorities to investigate last night’s incident of police brutality; specifically the extremely watered-down version of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) – the Special Complaints Commission (SCC). While we note that the IGP is a member of the SCC, we are left with little choices in oversight. For there seems to be no one in charge of Putrajaya at the moment, leaving Malaysians at the mercy of a Twitter-Trigger-Happy IGP who seemingly has no qualms revising events as they take place.
KEADILAN also reminds the Prime Minister of the much needed IPCMC – it is high time the government heeded its own Royal Commission’s recommendations. The Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police to address the “widespread concerns regarding the high incidence of crime, perception of corruption in the Royal Malaysia Police (Polis Diraja Malaysia, “PDRM”), general dissatisfaction with the conduct and performance of police personnel and a desire to see improvements in the service provided by the police.”
Furthermore, page 122 of the 2005 Royal Commission observed the following:
”… when officers act in contravention of laws and regulations without fear of investigation or reprimand, the culture of impunity begins to develop. Each wrongdoing that is not investigated or punished or is supported by higher ranks within the police leadership, leads to the perception that such misconduct is permissible. As each generation of officers observes and learns from their superiors, the culture becomes embedded in all the ranks of the PDRM.”
I call on Prime Minister Najib Razak and his chosen Home Minister Zahid Hamidi to release the six arrested last night and move to end the culture of impunity by the police.
We must end this cycle of bullying tactics and perpetuating fear against every citizen.If we fail to act now, we fail to stop Malaysia from becoming a police state.
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR
LEMBAH PANTAI MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
VICE PRESIDENT OF KEADILAN
ELECTIONS DIRECTOR OF KEADILAN
