Be impartial, don’t take cue from Umno cyber troopers, IGP told

The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar should be impartial in carrying out his duties instead of taking instructions from Umno cyber-troopers, says Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 11, 2015.The Inspector-General of Police should be neutral and impartial in carrying out his duties instead of taking instructions from Umno cyber-troopers, Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen said,

Paulsen was referring to Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar's Twitter post yesterday in which he said Paulsen ought to be probed under the Sedition Act for claiming the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) encouraged extremism during Friday sermons.

"Khalid's tweet came following a Twitter campaign by pro-Umno cyber-troopers and supporters that had called for retaliation or criminal investigation to commence against me."

"Several of them also used foul and threatening language including causing death and physical violence," Paulsen said.

"It is rather unbecoming and shocking for Khalid to be taking instructions from pro-Umno cyber-troopers and supporters on Twitter."

"He should be neutral when dealing with them as their work is obviously politically motivated and done in bad faith."

Paulsen said it was clearly a case of double standards and selective prosecution.

"These pro-Umno cyber-troopers and supporters have a free reign to say whatever they want without fear of criminal investigation from the police or the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission."

"As the top police officer in the country, I urge Khalid to display more professionalism and fairness when dealing with such matters."

Paulsen said Khalid should not rush into making assumptions, exemplified by his tweet about the former.

He also urged the police to go back to basics, and to be professional, impartial and competent in maintaining law and order, preventing and detecting real crimes and apprehending real criminals rather than be concerned with policing social media or politically motivated matters.

Umno mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia today said Paulsen's comments were an insult on Islam in Malaysia and called for action to be taken against him.

The Malay language daily said Paulsen should be investigated over his remark and came to Jakim’s defence today, saying the department was not a militant organisation such as the Boko Haram in Nigeria.

It also said Paulsen should issue a public apology for the statement.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, in a statement yesterday, said Friday sermons had never encouraged extremism or violence as alleged.

On the contrary, he said, the sermon was a requirement in the Friday prayers which were delivered orally and carried educational elements to give advice on religion, to give inspiration and create consciousness.

- TMI