Why beat up detainees?
Posted on 27 May 2012 - 07:18pm
Last updated on 27 May 2012 - 07:26pm
Last updated on 27 May 2012 - 07:26pm
IN 1976, I sat before the then
Chief Justice of Malaya talking to him not about the judiciary, but the
future of Malaysian hockey in the aftermath of the debacle at the
Montreal Olympics. A few days later, a two-part series bylined "By Raja
Azlan Shah as told to R. Nadeswaran" was published. On Wednesday,
memories came flooding back on what now Sultan Azlan Shah said on his
birthday investiture ceremony.
"The enforcement of the country's laws should reflect transparency
and fair practice by the judiciary. Those enforcing the law must show
integrity and gain respect through their actions in order for the people
to be confident in them. The people will have doubts in the legal
institution and feel they have been unfairly treated if investigations
and detainment procedures, prosecution and trial are questionable," His
Highness was quoted as saying.
Today marks one month to the day when the events and issues changed
our views and perceptions of the institutions that His Highness touched
on in his royal address. Co-incidentally, the 1976 interview took place
over lunch in his chambers in the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka – the same
area where the tumultuous event happened.
Why, I keep asking myself and everyone whom I think can give me a
plausible answer, did seven policemen attack my colleague Radzi? What
offence did he commit? Even if he did, he cannot be subjected to that
kind of grievous harm that required hospitalisation for a fractured jaw.
Was he part of the demonstration? Was he wearing yellow? Was he part
of the mob that broke the barrier? No – on all three counts. So, why was
an on-duty journalist in civilian clothes with a government issued
media tag around his shoulders set upon by the police?
That's only the first part of the story. Last week, Radzi was asked
to attend an identification parade with a view to pick out his
assailants. It was an exercise in absurdity. Despite the investigation
officer being told that Radzi's assailants were young police officers,
the police brought elderly officers to be identified. To add insult to
injury, Radzi was asked to peep through the louvres on the window to
identify his attackers. Is this how an identification parade is carried
out these days?
Is this the kind of integrity of law enforcers that His Highness
pointed out when he he talked about gaining respect through their
actions in order for the people to be confident in them?
Let me not digress. I was a witness to at least half a dozen assaults
of protesters AFTER they had been arrested. Call it safety or comfort
zone but standing atop the balcony of the Royal Selangor Club, it gave
me a bird's-eye view of what was happening along Jalan Raja. As those
arrested were brought to be processed, I saw policemen kicking and
slapping them. Was it necessary? What could a citizen like me do except
plead: Jangan pukul? As soon as I did this, four or five police cameras were trained on me.
Will I be demonised, pilloried and hounded like the dozens of lawyers
who acted as observers of the Bar Council at the rally? Just like them,
will I be accused of being part of the opposition or a sympathiser? Is
there no place to tell exactly what I saw and express my disgust at such
contemptuous actions? Do ordinary citizens have no recourse when they
see an illegal act or omission? Don't we as citizens owe a duty to
protect one another?
The police can have a hundred and one reasons to detain anyone, but
surely it is not their God-given right to harm anyone in the process.
Why did they have to do that? Why did they beat up Radzi and a dozen
other members of the media? Were they also viewed as opposition
sympathisers instead of being seen as recorders of a Malaysian event?
These questions cannot be answered by you or me. It must be answered
by the perpetrators of the assault and their bosses. Perhaps they should
seriously take the sultan's advice that people will have doubts in the
legal institution and feel they have been unfairly treated if
investigations and detainment procedures, prosecution and trial are
questionable. Radzi's identification parade saga is just one issue.
Saying anything more will be overkill.
R. Nadeswaran is a mere messenger in this whole episode. Shooting
him will not bring about a solution. He is editor (special and
investigative reporting) at theSun and can be reached at:
citizen-nades@thesundaily.com
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