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December 07, 2005
The Heart Of The Matter
Chez1978 has this to say on the Gadis Lokap issue:
Most of you are missing the point.It is an issue whether our police procedure for strip and intimate searches should be further clarified.
That is not the same as in we should no longer have strip and intimate searches.
What is important is how it should be carried out, where and under what circumstances. When the mms first surfaced, many Malaysians linked it to the maltreatment of Chinese nationals. It is a sentiment that is not unexpected, although in those cases, what we have are accusations that has to be substantiated in the court of law. We need evidence, and we certainly have them in the form of the Chinese nationals who came forward and lodged reports with the help of politicians. Hopefully, justice will be served.
We know that our police haven't exactly been a shining role model for the force it comes to law enforcement. Direct comparisons with the Indian IT professionals and other cases of impropriety and blunders when it comes to the handling of foreign nationals (who are mostly from developing or less developed countries) makes more sense.
Unfortunately, the masses are not a rational lot either. Comparisons to the Abu Ghraib were made, but it is more soundbite rather than the truth. This is a classic case of how media practitioners exaggerate and distort the truth. It was a strip search, not a human being stripped naked and put on a leash. That's not to say that our police have been above board and beyond reproach, but in this instance for what is captured on the mms, is there any evidence of abuse?
Sure, it must have been humiliating, embarassing and a dent on human dignity for the female suspect. I think when you are asked to strip before another person, it can never be easy unless you are an exhibitionist. The problem is, the policewoman is probably carrying out her duties. Did she ask the suspect to perform unusual and cruel acts? What is the abuse here, really?
As it is, we will be getting more information about the parties involved. I actually feel that the police should not reveal personal information of the policewoman and the suspect until we can determine if whether any wrongdoing has been done by the police or the suspect being subjected to unnecessary strip search. The female suspect must be contacted and her statements must be recorded to facilitate in this investigation. She is entitled to doing all that without being thrust into the limelight. She probably doesn't need the additional recognition of her humiliation - made possible and amplified by the mms to the tune of millions. As the policewoman has provided her statements, internal or independent inquiries would be able to determine if the reasons for the strip search was justified, and whether the procedure applied equally to several suspects at the same raid. Afterall, she is most probably not the only one subjected to the same treatment (strip search).
What is clear, however, is the person who recorded the strip search must be punished. The police must also be reprimanded for failing to provide a secure environment and following procedure in performing the strip search. If the strip search is undertaken without good reason, the police officers who authorized the strip search must be reprimanded as well. As for the damage done to the country, we are all victims of our own sentiments, albeit helped by good intentions.
I say Chez1978 has a point. There are lessons to be learnt here.
Posted by aisehman at December 7, 2005 11:26 PM
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Comments
yes..chez1978..you have a point and it's well said...and thank you mr aisehmen for posting it here.
Posted by: nor'aini at December 8, 2005 03:35 PM
chez1978, what do you suppose having to hold on to one's ears while doing the squats achieve? Would love to have your insights here as well.
Thanks
Posted by: banana at December 8, 2005 08:11 PM
I think the policewomen is just following orders. Dia makan gaji. Those who gave orders should be the one to be held responsible.
Anak Polis
Posted by: Jang at December 9, 2005 10:43 AM
That doesn't make sense. Why would he know anything about ear-squats? Chez isn't the police. Chez is right in asking that the procedure be clarified and that understand police procedures.
Then if someone thinks that they have better police procedures to suggest, they should suggest them.
Posted by: don at December 9, 2005 03:22 PM