Yoursay: Police must allow neutral body to probe 'enforced disappearances'

YOURSAY | 'If the police are not involved, they should welcome an independent commission.'

IGP: It's disappointing that Suhakam is 'punishing' the police

David Dass: Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in broad daylight in a public place, in what appeared to be a professionally conducted operation involving three multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and another car. The abductors wore black clothes and balaclavas. One of their numbers was filming the whole operation.

Koh’s entire abduction was captured on CCTV. The police have come up with nothing. It does not matter that the findings of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) were made public. The police should make it their business to find the perpetrators and the persons abducted.

Police sensitivity to the charges levelled against the Special Branch should be subordinate to the agony of the families of the persons abducted, and the anxiety and anger of an entire nation.

The police should reassure the people and the families of those affected that they are professional and can bring the perpetrators of the crimes to book.

Simple Malaysian: I wonder if there would have been any comments at all from the police if Suhakam had presented the report solely to the police to take action.

In fact, because Suhakam’s findings point towards the police, any investigative action needs to be taken by a neutral party, which means the police should not be involved.

Now, I do hope the authorities will see the need to set up a body to oversee any alleged abuse and mismanagement directed against the police, a body like the previously proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Please note that such a body is only meant to protect the image of the police and not meant to find fault unnecessarily.

One Humanity: The public deserves to know. Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun, wake up. BN is no longer the regime in power. We have a new government that was voted in on their pledge to be transparent.

Handing over a report on alleged police criminal involvement to the police? You might as well ask Umno to investigate Najib Abdul Razak.

Ib: Do the police think they are above the law?

Suhakam rightfully announced its findings to the rakyat, as it is not accountable to the police, but to the rakyat of Malaysia. I salute the leaders of Suhakam for doing what is right.

Anonymous_1527925538: Fuzi, how about the families of the kidnapped who have been 'punished' day and night over the past three years, with no updates from the police on their loved ones?

Suhakam inquiries are not hush-hush affairs but open and transparent. So, of course, their reports are provided to all, including the police.

Anonymous_1398063222: Fuzi said that the police will abide by the instruction given by national leaders to investigate the case.

Does this mean that the police have not been cooperating to investigate the case, or have been giving only lip service? Why is it that the police need instructions to do what is expected and required of them?

And you wonder why the police - not all, though - are being ‘punished’?

ICAC: As police Special Branch head at that time, you should have put in a more convincing effort and given a better explanation for the ‘enforced disappearance’ cases. It’s good that Suhakam's report has woken you up.

Anonymous 2043581479977820: Fuzi could have responded with something more intelligent other than saying “disappointing”.

The families of the missing persons and the public all have the right to be utterly disappointed with the police.

The police have been totally indifferent with regard to these cases. The suspicion is now on them, and if there is any truth in it, they should be the first to own up, rather than be “disappointed”.

Billythekid: People's perception of the police has long been a foregone issue of the tarnished image of a noble profession.

Do the right thing. Showcase the police as an institution of law and order and professionalism.

Kritek007: Fuzi, how is this punishing the police? All parties in the issue were given ample notice and time to answer the inquiry panel.

During the inquiry, should the police have felt what others said to be unfair, they should have given their rebuttal during the inquiry and in the final submission to the panel.

Ample opportunities were given, and yet you said it seemed as if the police were being punished. If “punished” is the right word, then something is not right with the processes adopted by the police.

Then we need an independent commission to inquire into the police.

Quo Vadis: An independent commission can help to bring about closure, and restore the credibility of the police.

If the police are not involved, they should welcome an independent commission. Your reluctance suggests a different narrative.

Jeez: The tremendous anti-police responses by Malaysiakini commenters towards this issue clearly illustrates how much distrust the public has against them.

Pakatan Harapan leaders should take note of the rakyat's negative reaction to the IGP's statement. An institution tasked with keeping law and order of a country which is facing such a deficit in public trust is totally unacceptable.

A fundamental task of reformation for the Harapan government is to restore the integrity of the police. Without a proper functioning law and order apparatus, what reforms are we really talking about?

Anonymous 770241447347646: It looks like the politicians and police own this nation. They decide what the people should know and what they should not, even when it concerns the rights of the citizens.

How many more people have disappeared, which have not reported? These are the ones we know about.

At the present moment, the reputation of the police is at its lowest level. It has been so for a very long time. They have taken no steps to lift themselves up. They are not concerned about what the public thinks of them.

That is why we need the IPCMC to get the ball rolling. Time to put the fear in the police officers’ hearts, so that they cannot do as they like. While they are the law, they are not above it.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.