Suhakam's public inquiry into the alleged use of excessive police force on one Chung Jiun Hiur, by the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) officers at the disputed Bandar Mohkota Cheras barricade on May 27, 2008, is one of extreme public interest. Beating up civilians who are unarmed and hapless, in the manner that they did to Chung, is outright brutality. I read that it required a platoon size FRU officers to take down just one civilian, and this is just ridiculous. With that numbers, even an elephant could have died.
Incidents of police brutality in this country, has occurred several times in the past, but what has come out of it leaves much to be desired. The beating of Chung conjours up images of the recent happenings in Zimbabwe and Kenya, where death upon innocent civilians caused by the police and army actions, rules the day. Are our FRU units of the same 'category' as that of Zimbabwe and Kenya; senseless, merciless, and the uniform they wear gives them the right to do as they please? I am sure, they are taught that the equipment they carry is only to be used in self defence. Surely it wasn't self defence in the case of Chung.
I now wonder what of the shooting case in Batu Buruk, Terengganu incident? This case is the first in our history where the police had used live bullets to disperse crowds. Isn't Suhakam conducting a public inquiry on this incident, or is it one of self defence?
I hope Suhakam's findings will be just, and the rule of law prevails in order to bring back public confidence in our FRU and police units.
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I am sure our FRU continues to update their crowd control management and dispersal tactics to handle more advanced and sophisticated crowds these days, compared to the ones they faced in previous years.What happened to Chung Jiun Hiur is of course not acceptable.They ought to be more effective way for FRU to handle him in that particular situation.
I am under the impression that some regional countries have developed better and effective way of hostile crowd management where extreme restraint is shown by their Police under challenging situations. It could be that the FRU need more manpower, equipment, new tactics and training to emulate their examples.I hope the Police leadership could look into these requirements.
Dear Maurice,
I think we ought to learn from the UK police on how they train their men to restrain them from using force beyond what is necessary.
On another vein,I am sure our military leadership is conducting their own training to prepare junior commanders and troops for public order duties.The military maxim of the 'minimum use of force' in public order duties will always be adhered to.The Army if called upon, I am confident will make a good job at it, in the interest of public peace and security.
Dear Dato,
I am not sure about getting help from the British.They make you 'pay' for their services.
Moreover the British demonstrators on the whole are rational lot.More on union matter, peace activists etc.So crowd behaviour is more muted and not really violent.I think their Police tactics and training may not be suitable to manage our local crowd.
If ever our Army is called to do Public Order duties, they really have to organize a strong Public Relation Teams that can be deployed down to platoon level.The job of recording events and dealing with local and foreign press should not be left to rifleman, instead be undertaken by professional Public Relations personnels in situ, equipped with the latest video and electronic gadgets.It is necessary to have proper live recording of events to back up military actions.
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