Rakyat bashing the police? No, the other way round

FREE YOURSAY 'One question: Who is doing the bashing? The police. That's why it's known as police bashings.'

'Stop demoralising police by bashing them'

Hang Babeuf: Yes, we all agree, it's time for an end to all the "bashing". All this "police bashing" damages and undermines the nation.

One question: Who is doing the "bashing"? The police. That's why it's known as "police bashings". Police bashing the rakyat must stop. Simple as that.

Stop demeaning, humiliating and terrorising the rakyat by brutalising them. Stop besmirching democracy by abusing and intimidating the citizenry. And you want us all to feel sorry for the police?

We don't want the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) to be saints and choirboys. We just want them to be what we pay them to be, and that on their appointment they swear on oath to be a proper, professional police force employed to protect the citizens. And to maintain social order by the protection of everyday civility and civil decency.

That's not too much to ask. Asking us all to cry hypocritical tears for the police is!

HumptyDumpty: If police do their job professionally nobody will bash them. If Umno-BN stop using the police for their own political benefit, then the rakyat will respect the police more.

Respect has to be earned. The majority of the police are okay. But if the number of ‘bad apples' increase, then the police image will be tarnished.

Establish the IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission) before it is too late.

Not Confused: Director of the National Key Results Area (NKRA) for crime reduction Eugene Teh, maybe we can all try to explain to you why we do not trust the police.

For there to be such high-level of trust, it has to be earned, not demanded or expected. In the case of Malaysia's boys in blue, they regularly sully their own reputation - there are so many examples of their arrogance, lack of professionalism, lack of integrity, corruption and worse of all, acting like thugs and hoodlums at every opportunity.

Their actions at the Bersih 3.0 rally was a final wake-up call for me. Following what I witnessed personally, together with the many videos posted on YouTube, all respect for the PDRM evaporated immediately, and I think this is true for virtually everyone else at that rally.

If I now see a police officer on the street, I would deliberately cross the road to walk on the other side. This is a pity, as I am sure they are not all degenerates, but unfortunately the entire force is now tainted.

Myop101: Actually, a little appreciation for job well done should be inculcated and practised. What are we teaching the young when all we do is complain and do nothing?

I also fear for the safety of my family, neighbours, relatives and friends but where credit is due, a little praise and appreciation is definitely warranted.

While we can come down hard on the police for the rising crime rate, we have only ourselves to be blamed when we neglect to even care about the well-being of those around us.

We should stop passing the buck when we know a little voluntary assistance can make a difference in making our streets safer.

Lin Wenquan: "....for better or for worse, the police ‘are our only choice,' said Teh.

What an affront and insult to our intelligence! As guardian of the peace and the rakyat's safety and well-being, it is not up to the police to choose how they should carry out their duties and responsibilities. We simply cannot accept this apologist's option of 'for worse'.

We pay their salaries, and like any employer, we demand the best from them. This is not negotiable. Period.

I wonder if the daily dose of gory crimes reported in the normally pliant mainstream media has been sanctioned by Umno-BN to shake the force out of their stupor.

Are they still intoxicated with complacency by the brazenly massaged 'falling' crime-rate index churned out by the Home Ministry and now this propaganda outfit called Pemandu to blend into the grand illusion of transformation? Food for thought, indeed.

Quigonbond: Is Teh kidding? Who's criticising the men and women at the front lines? They are just doing their duty.

If they feel demoralised, they should look to people like Pemandu and the home minister who is failing in their jobs to make our streets, homes and commercial places safe.

It's their plans, their numbers, the false assumptions and solutions that are the raison d'etre for increase in crime rate.

If the rank-and-file of the police force want to salvage the reputation of their institution, they should stop shoring up their senior officer's illegal orders and do what is right, and vote the right party in the coming elections, for they will be at the forefront of people who can point out fraudulent voting, vote rigging and ballot box manipulations.

Longjaafar: The police work in very challenging circumstances. They do not have enough equipment, staff, transport, dwelling units, low salary, etc.

As a result, to this they are not motivated, as they see their brothers in the army getting a much much better package.

Every military camp has barracks for the soldiers and quarters for the officers. Not so for the police. Just look at the Brickfields police station - pulled down by a chosen developer and the police had go and rent other buildings.

Rakyat Malaysia: Umno must stop misusing the police force for their political advantages and all the problems will go away. Let the police be free from Umno-BN control and be independent to execute their duties properly.

Odin: A large section of the public has been bashing the police because the department has shown itself to be Umno's thugs instead of protectors of the public.

Suspects have been beaten up while in police custody, and some of whom had died as a result. Mat rempits and snatch thieves still pose a menace. House break-ins are a common occurrence. Many of the Bersih 30 participants, including media personnel, were bashed up unnecessarily.

The department has lost its credibility totally. The department, not the public, is at fault. Teh, where have you been all this while to not know all this? - Malaysiakini