(Kuala Lumpur, Monday): The entire police high command is on trial at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the "black eye" and other injuries sustained by former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim while under police custody at Bukit Aman on Sept.20.
Former Attorney-General, Tan Sri Abu Talib, who is assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry, said in his opening statement that from his investigations, "a senior police officer" assaulted Anwar in the Bukit Aman police lock-up on the first night of his arrest on Sept. 20. This is one major step forward from the statement by the current Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohtar Abdullah that the police were "fully responsible" for the "black eye" and injuries sustained by Anwar.
This, however, is still inadequate and unsatisfactory, as the "senior police officer" cannot be nameless and faceless. Regardless of rank or seniority, the police person or persons responsible for the assault must be brought to justice so that the first small step can be taken in the painfull and herculean process to restore public confidence in the professionalism and integrity of the Malaysian police.
For the whole period of the Royal Commission of Inquiry investigations for the next one or two weeks, the entire police high command has shifted from Bukit Aman to the Criminal Court, as virtually the entire police high command have been subpoenaed by the Royal Commission and every top police officer in the country is waiting his turn in the queue to be summoned as witness.
This cannot be a period of pride and honour for the police force.
However, if there is going to be a serious attempt to restore public
confidence in the professionalism and integrity of the Malaysian police,
the government should establish a second Royal Commission of Inquiry to
investigate into allegations of police abuses of power, particularly in
the recent spate of police shoot-outs involving the killing of the
innocent and the unarmed and all instances of custodial violence involving
the police.
(22/2/99)