Of Ignorance, Impunity & Insult to Injury by the IGP

here’s an interesting observation by my friend, martin. i’m sure you would have agree with him.

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Of Ignorance, Impunity & Insult to Injury by the IGP

by Martin Jalleh

The police force in Bolehland has very ironically lived up to its name it carries out its supposed duty with brutal “force”. Sadly, such mindless aggression is seemingly condoned and even commended by Inspector General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar whose pathetic justification adds insult to injury. Below is an open response to the IGP’s comments which he made in a Malaysiakini interview on the violence demonstrated by the police when breaking up a peaceful demonstration of about 500 people in front of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) on 28 May, protesting against the price hikes in fuel and electricity. Alas, very little has changed since Pak Lah took over.

Mohd Bakri: “The police have got a job to do (and) they were merely doing their job. I defend the action of my officers and men…”

Is it the job of the riot police to run riot? Is it your job as the Inspector General of Police to defend without “inspecting” and to “generalise” so as to cloud the truth!

Mohd Bakri: “How serious are they? I don’t know how serious they are…” (in response to Malaysiakini’s feedback that “a few of them were seriously injured”).

Without knowing the seriousness of the situation you insist on defending your men! Are you really serious about being the IGP of this country?

Mohd Bakri: “The police have been tasked into looking after law and order that’s our basic function.”

There was law and definitely a lot of order when the public demonstration and protest began… until the police created the chaos by clubbing the dispersing protestors.

Mohd Bakri: “If you refer to section 33 of the Police Act, which is available in the major bookstores in town, then you should know our function.”

If you refer to the Federal Constitution, which is available in the major bookstores in town, then you should know our function as citizens of this country.

Mohd Bakri: “If people start going to the streets, demonstrate, and if the police do nothing about it, it will affect the flow of traffic, it will threaten the safety of the location.”

In the first protest on March 3 when your men allowed a peaceful demonstration, the flow of traffic was normal though some slowed down to honk in support of the demonstrators! No one felt unsafe.

Mohd Bakri: “If it is a business centre, then people will shy away (from it), people will not go to that premise anymore and it causes a lot of disturbance to the peace.”

For many foreigners, public protests in their country are a daily affair! What frightens tourists most, Mohd Bakri, is the sight of baton-wielding police unleashing their violence on innocent people like the protestors.

Mohd Bakri: “So we have a job to do, and my men have a job to do, and that is why they advised (the protestors) … (to) get this group to disperse. In the course of it – if you go ahead and confront the police…”

The citizens of this country have a job to do too. The protestors were doing what everybody including your men and their families should in fact be doing protesting against price hikes that would gravely affect all of our lives.

Mohd Bakri: “If you stay on, and go against the instruction, the police have got a job to do, (and) they were merely doing their job. I defend the action of my officers and men.”

The protestors have a right to stay on. It’s a right guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. They, however, did not confront the police. They ran when water cannons were trained on them…only to be pursued by your men. Look at the photos and video recordings by Malaysiakini, Mohd Bakri, and they will show your men “doing their job” chasing after and beating up a dispersing crowd, which included women and children!

Mohd Bakri: “…the police have the right to defend themselves…”

Imagine, policemen fully armed and well-protected with body armor and shields, attacking fleeing, drenched and unarmed protestors, and you speak of your men having to “defend themselves”? And from women and children? Its pathetic Mohd Bakri!

Mohd Bakri: “It is most unfortunate that the police have to resort to use minimum force – that was minimum force…”

Bleeding heads, a broken arm, repeatedly kicked whilst laying sprawled on the road, hit on the head by a policeman using the butt of his tear-gas canister launcher, a journalist repeatedly kicked and assaulted — minimum force? Who are you fooling Mohd Bakri?

Mohd Bakri: “…it was never their intention to cause harm. Never.”

The public can never take you seriously again, Mohd Bakri. Never.

(2 June 2006)