'Malaysians are demoralised by rogue police officers'

YOURSAY 'Two men have died in a week and Zahid is worried about police morale? Pampering won't improve police morale or save lives.'

Zahid agrees with Waytha's suspension proposal

LittleGiant: It is just rhetoric, again. All the ministers who have served the government's home affairs portfolio have never had the will or the determination to thoroughly overhaul and revamp the image of the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police).

Is it not true that so far the PDRM has only been more interested in projecting itself as more "government-friendly" than "people friendly"? Can the ministers deny that they were more "PDRM friendly" than "people friendly"?

It is absolutely wrong of Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to say that the police force will be demoralised if its officers investigated for custodial deaths are suspended from their duties. How can the police force feel demoralised when it is their own personnel who are alleged to have committed a heinous and demoralising act?

Is it not the rakyat who are totally demoralised when the perpetrators of a crime are alleged to be police personnel whose utmost responsibility is to take care of the safety of the rakyat, especially the ones in their custody?

Ipohcrite: Zahid is concerned about demoralising the police force, but is he not concerned that rogue police officers have demoralised the rakyat for far too long.

There are no two ways about it - the police must remain a disciplined force, always, in order to do their job properly and continue earning the trust and respect of the rakyat.

SteveOh: The minister can't differentiate between discipline and demoralisation and you wonder if he is the right man for the position.

Armed personnel are used to and expect the highest standards of discipline and will be demoralised by their colleagues being able to commit wrongs and not be disciplined.

When the minister is more concerned for the perpetrators than the public or family of the victims or the rule of law, is he suitable for the high post he holds? What does it say of his moral and professional judgement?

Two men have died in a week and he is worried about police morale? Pampering won't improve police morale or save lives. The time for political rhetoric is over and firm action is needed or wrongdoers will be emboldened to do more wrongs.

Good vs Evil: Zahid cautioned that suspension of the suspects must be done delicately to avoid "demoralising" the police force.

"Those responsible are individuals, not the entire force; so take action on the individuals, not the entire force."

His statement makes me feel like shouting at his face and tell him that we are asking for action to be taken against those responsible, not suspend the entire force.

You dummy, what demoralising issue are you talking about?

Mahashitla: Zahid, do you know that the whole nation is devastated by the actions of these four police officers? I believe even many senior police officers are shaking their heads in disbelieve.

Assaulting a suspect or an accused to extract information is punishable under the law. The pathologist report has confirmed that the injuries sustained by the diseased caused his death and the staples that were stapled to his body only added to the cruel manner in which the assault and torture were carried.

In a less civilised country, these officers would have been arrested, charged for murder and remanded pending investigations. Suspension would be just too mild.

Speechless: I agree with Zahid when he said the police force needs a face lift and a more people-friendly image. How about starting right at the top with the home minister and the inspector-general of police (IGP)?

Acitizen: Murder is murder, no if or buts. Those responsible must be taken to task immediately. It doesn't matter if it is the PM or a police officer, or anybody.

To have it not repeated again, the OCPD should be held responsible for the action of his subordinates. To say that this should confined to just the police officers responsible is not good enough.

Responsible leaders are what is needed and there must be no more such murders in our jails, committed by our police.

Anonymous_3f89: Mr Home Minister, how can taking appropriate punitive action demoralise a whole police force?

I would assume that the police force are more interested in exacting justice than the general public, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a fellow police personnel or not.

By your remark of worrying that the police force will be demoralised, are you suggesting that a police who commit murder must be treated gently whereas a civilian who commit even a lesser crime, can be roughen up, even to the extend of causing death?

Is this your sense of justice? Is this the general sense of justice of the BN ministers and the police force? I feel ashamed that our home minister can be so unwise and unjust.

Avenger: Dear Minister, please imagine how demoralising it is for the public to endure police brutality, corruption and harassment.

What now?: Given his penchant for profundity, could the home mnister explain, why and how the investigation of those members of the police force now being questioned for the custodial death should be done "delicately" as he has chosen to put it?

What does he mean by "delicately" anyway? No staples, and no sticks, I might imagine. - Malaysiakini