Saravanan has given the new IGP the first test of his professionalism on Fuzi’s second day as the No. 1 Policeman in the country

I congratulate Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun’s appointment as the new Inspector-General of Police and welcome his commitment on assuming the post that he would tackle long-standing police problems like deaths in police custody and corruption in the police force.

I also commend the Malaysian police for its success in thwarting a plan by a member of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group to attack the closing ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games last week.

Fuzi revealed on Tuesday that the suspected attacker, a 25-year old Philippine national, had been involved in fighting, kidnapping and beheading of foreign hostages in the Philippines.

The new IGP can be assured of the DAP’s full support in police efforts to ensure the safety and security of Malaysians in the their own country, whether in the homes, streets or public places, and to restore public confidence in the professionalism and non-partisanship of the police to fight and reduce crime and unlawful activities in Malaysia.

This is why DAP Members of Parliament are asking the Police for a briefing on the terrorist threat by Islamic State and other organizations in Malaysia.

What cannot pass notice however is that the MIC Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports M. Saravanan, has given Fuzi the first test of his professionalism as the new IGP on his second day as the No. 1 Policeman in the country.

I visited Tamil Malar office in Kuala Lumpur yesterday together with DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran, and several other DAP MPs and State Assembly representatives including MP for Bukit Bintang, Fong Kui Lun, MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng; Perak State Assemblyman for Sungkai, A. Sivanesan; Negri Sembilan State Assemblyman for Senawang P. Gunasekaren and Assemblyman for Nilai J. Arul Kumar; Pahang State Assemblywoman for Sabai, Kamache Doray Rajoo and Selangor State Assemblywoman for Teratai, Tiew Way Keng, and my new political secretary Kerk Chee Yee.

We met and heard the eye-witness account of the gangsterism, thuggism and assault of the Tamil Malar personnel on Tuesday from the Tamil Malar legal advisor K. Sarawathy, who was one of the three victims of the assault on Tuesday.

Another victim of the assault was the Tamil Malar Chairman Oms P. Thiagarajam who was in hospital for a MRI scan as a result of the assault on Tuesday.

The Tamil Malar executive editor S. M. Periasamy also briefed the visitors on the assault and the thuggish incident against Tamil Malar.

If Fuzi as the new IGP cannot act professionally without fear or favour against a MIC Deputy Minister, then how can Malaysians expect him to act professionally against other even more unreasonable Deputy Ministers, not to mention full Ministers, or the Deputy Prime Minister or Prime Minister if they flagrantly take the law into their own hands.

All eyes are watching the new IGP as to whether he would pass his first test as a professional IGP, which Saravanan had created on Fuzi’s second day as IGP.

I have seen the 10-minute long video CCTV footage showing the brawl and assault against Sarawathy, Oms P Thiagarajam and another Tamil Malar staff at Tamil Malar, which tallied with the Sarawathy’s account of the assault.

It is not possible for Saravanan to claim otherwise, unless he welcomes a public inquiry into the Tamil Malar assault.

Saravanan should tender an immediate public apology. The MIC President Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam cannot continue to keep his silence on the third day of the disgraceful incident of assault and thuggish incident by the MIC Deputy Minister at Tamil Malar.

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should sack or suspend Saravanan as Deputy Minister before he leaves for the United States to meet with US President Trump to send out a clear message that he has zero tolerance for gangsterish and thuggish brawls involving his Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

Lim Kit Siang DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Gelang Patah