KUALA LUMPUR: Can the police launch an investigation into an incident if a report is not lodged?
This was the question posed by Malaysians on social media following revelations that the police have yet to probe an incident where two female volleyball players from Melaka were slapped by their coach.
The short answer is 'no.'
Prominent lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said that police cannot begin an investigation if no report is lodged from the parties involved.
"In this specific case, a police report is necessary to enable the authorities to open an investigation paper before they submit it to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.
"They (police) cannot do anything even though the video had gone viral on social media," he told the New Straits Times.
Haniff was commenting on a viral video which showed a coach slapping two of his players during the recent 2022 Malaysia Youth U-14 Volleyball Championship in Johor.
Despite public uproar over the incident, Melaka police said they have yet to open an investigation into the matter.
State police chief Datuk Razali Abu Samah said police have yet to receive a report from the parties involved in the case.
"As of now, we have not received any reports from any parties directly or indirectly involved in the incident.
"To our knowledge, the case is currently under (being investigated by) the Education Ministry," he told the New Straits Times.
The parents of the two girls said they would not be lodging a report in the case, saying that the matter was considered closed after the coach apologised to the girls.
The incident earned the wrath of social media users as well as Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who openly condemned the act.
She said her ministry as well as the Education Ministry would be launching an independent investigation into the case.
Melaka Youth Development, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) committee chairman V.P Shanmugam said he would call up the coach, the two players as well as representatives from the National Sports Council, Youth and Sports Ministry and the management of the tournament to make a decision over the fate of the coach. - NST
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