ANOTHER CASE OF UNPROVOKED ABUSE BY THE POLICE

It was reported in the media that seven policemen from the Brickfields District Police Station, who were alleged to have been involved in excessive physical abuse of two detainees, have all been formally charged. This, I believe is the first case involving a large number of policemen from a single police station. There may be other similar cases that went unreported, and hence have evaded the law.

What is interesting is that the charges were made only upon a complain has being launched by the victim. Had there not been a report, the case would not have been known to the public.What I would have thought is that the report should have been made by a member of the police who was witnessed to the abuse. I am quite sure there were others who knew and saw what took place in the police station, and it is only righteous that they launched the report, rather than to play ignorant. Had the police themselves reported the abuse, the public would have accorded them the highest regards and respect. This is one opportunity where the police have failed to exploit for their good name, and to redeem themselves from being regarded in utter disgust by the public.

We all know that the police today, by their own past actions have a serious problem of regaining respect and confidence from the public. There have been too many cases of excessive manhandling and unprovoked abuse by policemen upon civilians while in detention or otherwise And here, I am reminded of the Anwar Ibrahim case where he was beaten up in his cell by no other person, than the IGP himself. I suppose the seven policemen must have learned this outrageous act from their former boss.

I just wonder why excessive abuse need to be meted upon civilians especially when they are detained? What can the detainee do? Certainly, the detainee cannot fight back, and beating up a helpless person is indeed a cowardly act. And are our policemen made up of cowards? I think, certainly not. Should they insist that the detainee ought to be taught a lesson, then why not give the detainee a boxing glove instead, and challenged him to a one-to-one fight. This is a more gentlemen act, rather then having seven people trampled upon one helpless detainee.

Bringing to justice the seven policemen will be an interesting case to watch. Let us all wait and see how the case will proceed. And what interest me most is to know who will be the prosecution witnesses. If some are policemen, then it is a case of policemen vs policemen. Mind boggling isn't it?


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Posted at 08.20 am on Jan 17, 2009