Police now a BN component party?

Police wasted two hours interrogating Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen on his recent comment about rising crime rates when they could have been preventing crime.

KUCHING: Are the police now Barisan Nasional’s “14th component party”? Posing this question, the Sarawak DAP has further queried the police force’s impartiality and professionalism in dealing with the opposition.

The party’s state publicity secretary Wong King Wei said the police were wrong to pursue Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen over his recent statements on soaring crimes and preventive measures.

“It is a fact that the crime rate is going up and yet our police are wasting resources on investigating Chong’s statement instead of concentrating on the real issue, which is to keep people safe.

“While we all know our society is no longer safe, it also marked the first time in history that the police admitted our society is no longer safe.

“And I cannot see how the abolishment of the Emergency Ordinance (EO) takes the blame for rising crime cases,” he said when commenting on police reports lodged against Chong.

Last week Umno youth lodged a report against Chong for saying that the increase in crime cases would be grounds for the government to re-introduce EO which could be used to throw people into jail without being tried in the court of law. Chong also said the law could be used to suppress dissidents and opposition leaders.

The Sarawak United Peoples Party Youth wing  had also lodged a similar police report against Chong.

On Saturday, Chong, who is Sarawak DAP chief, was summoned by the police to give his statement in order to facilitate an investigation into his statement.

Accompanying Chong to the station, Wong, who is Padungan assemblyman and a lawyer said: “The police ought to discharge their duties by making sure people are out of harm’s way rather than focusing on oppressing the opposition.

“It is either the police do their job to serve the people or they are proving to everyone that police are the 14th component party of BN,” said Wong.

Criticising Umno and SUPP Youth wings, Wong said the police reports came with a political agenda.

“In the case of police report by SUPP Youth, it has a motive behind, particularly in view of the next Sarawak state election.” he said, without elaborating.

Put more police on crime beat

Meanwhile, Chong who was interviewed by two police officers for two hours said that it was a waste of their time.

“The two investigation officers spent two hours taking our statements while a lot of criminals are running around and many outstanding cases remain unsolved

“Police should put more energy, time and effort in dealing with real issues, the escalating crime rate instead of wasting their time on a report lodged by Umno youth against me,” he said.

Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman reiterated that the escalating crime rate is not just about murder cases or open shooting, but also rampant house break-ins, robberies, snatch thefts an auto thefts, which have gone out of control.

“I am sure this has nothing to do with the abolition of EO,” he said, urging the police authority to put more men on crime beats.