Stretching absurdity to the extreme!
Aliran is appalled by the statement of Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar claiming that the Sri Kembangan state assembly member Ean Yong Hian Wah had intimidated the police when he called on them to stop their investigation of DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, for alleged sedition.
It is difficult to understand how a request or a demand to stop their investigation of Lim Guan Eng – in what is interpreted by the police as sedition – can be construed as directing the police to cease their investigation of Guan Eng. What authority does Ean Yong have to directthe police? Or are they recognising that he has such powers to do so? He has no such powers. Why then does Khalid claim that the police weredirected by Ean Yong to desist from their investigation?
On what basis does Khalid state, “I wish to stress that the honourable member should not try to intimidate us … .” Irrespective of whether it was a request or a demand in wanting the police not to investigate Guan Eng, in what way does that constitute intimidation?
Is Khalid claiming that the police were indeed intimidated by Ean Yong’s statement? Is he admitting that the police indeed felt intimidated by Ean Yong? Imagine that one lonely voice can intimidate the entire police force! This is stretching absurdity to the extreme! This is doing violence to the word.
Does the Home Minister, Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn, who is in charge of the police force agree with this ridiculous interpretation?
Khalid’s statement has serious repercussions on civil society. If civil society were to tell the police not to accept bribes or urge the police not to be cruel to the detainees or ask the police to be even handed when dealing with dissidents, would that now be interpreted as a directive and therefore having the effect of intimidation?
On a more serious note, if the police are so easily intimidated by a mere statement, how are they going to ensure our safety on a daily basis when the crime rate has soared to frightening levels? There are so many criminals running around killing and raping, snatching bags and valuables from pedestrians on the street, putting us in fear for our own well-being; how then are the police going to cope with this intimidating environment that we live in?
The police should direct their attention to solving serious crime in the country instead of going after the Opposition. Their conduct with regard to the Opposition is becoming very blatant. People are troubled by this and are disappointed with the police.
P Ramakrishnan
President
