Why are Klang Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement officers behaving so high-handedly with the ordinary public, as in the following clip from a camera phone on Star online report, “Fine mess, says tailor in MPK incident”.
What was all the hullaballoo about? Over parking ticket!
How can such things happen under the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who has talked so much about a people-friendly, efficient and productive public service?
But nobody seems to be listenining as the situation is generally deteriorating from bad to worse, with more and more basic services – including basic courtesy to citizens – breaking down and getting out of control.
The following is the Star report of the deplorable episode in Klang yesterday:
Fine mess, says tailor in MPK incident
KLANG: Humiliated and enraged, that’s how Pua Chia Teng feels after several Klang Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement officers dragged him from his shop and bundled him into a car before taking him to the police headquarters here, all over a parking fine.
Pua, 35, a tailor at Jalan Raja Hassan said it started over a parking fine issued at 2pm on Wednesday.
“It all began with my elder brother Khiau Seong. He had parked his Mercedes Benz along Jalan Raja Hassan without a parking coupon. As an MPK parking attendant walked towards the car, Khiau Seong shouted out at him not to issue a compound as he was on his way out,” he said.
He said the attendant ignored his brother’s plea.
“Khiau Seong rushed out and within minutes a scuffle had broken out. I ran out and separated them while two other attendants watched. The three MPK attendants then walked away and Khiau Seong drove off,” he said.
Pua added that 10 minutes later, a group of MPK enforcement officers barged into his shop demanding he follow them to the Klang police headquarters to give a statement regarding the scuffle. He refused.
Pua said the officers then dragged him from his shop and forced him into their car. They then drove to the police headquarters.
“I was dragged out in full view of passers-by and other shop owners. It was humiliating,” Pua said.
“At the police headquarters, I had to pay RM1,000 bail to be released,” he said.
Selangor DAP deputy chairman Peter Tan said he plans legal action over the matter.
“It is unbecoming of the staff to act in such a manner,” he said.
Council president Abdul Bakir Zin declined to comment on the way his men had taken Pua to the police headquarters.
Asked about a video of the incident posted on the Internet, Bakir said, “Let the police investigate as a report has been lodged.”
#1 by WTF-Msia on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 2:33 pm
mr. self denial aka “i’m in kontrol” lol
#2 by sheriff singh on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 2:34 pm
Yet another incident from the “developed state”. They seem determined to show the public the state is where the action is at and they are showing the way. Perhaps it is a sign of the times.
With “developed” status comes tension, pressures and stress and everything now is at boiling point. Civil society is fast breaking up. Perhaps “developed” means “police state”.
Give someone a uniform and he will immediately feel he can do no wrong, he’s in charge, he’s boss, he can bully, don’t mess with him. And the uniform fellas will always support another fella with a uniform no matter what. Get a uniform.
Perhaps with 3 additional new judges sitting now, this case can be heard next week?
#3 by jonwon on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 2:40 pm
From what I see, MPK officer is only doing his job. A scuffle have broke out most likey the parking offender push or hit first when the officer ignored his plea.
MPK officers have requested the offender to go to the police station. Offender refuses so the officers took to their initiative.
The problem lies with the offender not paying for the parking when he has actually parked his car. As we always see, many shop owners park their car in front of the shops and when seeing the officers on their round, they quickly attempt to make payment.
LKS, this is a petty case. I am surprised you even mentioned PM’s name. Knowing that our PM has many more urgent matters to worry lately, please leave this aside for him.
#4 by ahkok1982 on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 3:15 pm
sorry, PM not listening when he eating nasi kandar in Aus…
#5 by stevelow on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 3:39 pm
jonwon:
I think you misunderstood the whole situation completely. Imagine that just because you didn’t pay for parking, can a gang of MPPJ officers drag you to their van and drive you off to police station?
#6 by dragon88 on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 3:41 pm
jonwon, I think, you are making the wrong assumption. From what I gather, MPK officers were picking up the wrong person. The parking defaulter had driven away. Away they had no right to physically dragged anyone. It was the job of the police…
#7 by Godfather on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 4:08 pm
“How can such things happen under the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who has talked so much about a people-friendly, efficient and productive public service?”
That is not a very smart question. Many things have happened under AAB, and most of them are not very nice. It is more pertinent to ask why such things happen and the answer is simple – everyone knows they can get away with it since the chief executive himself is not setting a good example.
#8 by Sintiansai on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 4:14 pm
Do you guys notice that those top authorities(ministers, presidents n etc…) always say ——> “no comment”?
but when they want answer from us(normal citizen), they will use force and violent act on us… agree?
#9 by Jong on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 4:25 pm
The duty of the MPK officer/s is to see that the summon gets to the parking defaulter. Whether the guy pays the parking fine or not, is not the business of the MPK officer/s but the Council’s.
It is the responsiblity of the Klang Municipal Council(MPK) to report it to the police and the police to take it from there.
This case shows a total lack of control at MPK. Who’s in charge btw?
#10 by zack on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:11 pm
Hmmmm …. when you can’t follow simple rule like paying parking fees and at the same time threatened public servant life ….. then you must be prepared to face the consequences ! It nothing but a citizen not prepare to follow simple rule. What will happen if everybody does that?
#11 by Libra2 on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:17 pm
jonwon.
This is NOT a small matter. Will you call it small if it had happened to you?
How can these uniformed gansters bundle him into a car for a small offence. Why can’t they do the same to Mat Rempit who are all over the state?
In any case, a parking fee, can be paid anytime, perhaps within 2 weeks. These lowly educated officers think they have power given by the uniform and they use it.
Did they act on instructions? If so the one whoever gave the order should be charged.
Don’t understand why the tailor was released on police bail.
#12 by taikohtai on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:36 pm
Bloody good! All caught on camera for everybody to see.
Who’s right or who’s wrong may all fall on modern technology!
Should teach the authorities that today is 2007, not when the keris used to rule (got the msg, Hisham?). Whatever you want to do, be aware that the whole world may be watching.
Gomen no longer big brother, Technology is!
#13 by smeagroo on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:38 pm
hey i dont see these scumbags being efficient in tearing down illegal joints owned by their own ppl like some sate stall n mansins? I would love to see them drag zakar and tear his mansion down. THEN I WILL SALUTE THEM!
#14 by smeagroo on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:41 pm
i sure hope these victims wont vote for BN anymore as the present govt fails to deliver an efficient public svc and the civil servants are getting way out of hand!
Let this be a reminder to us all.
#15 by ahkok1982 on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 5:59 pm
Can Mr. Pua also file a police report for kidnapping? Based on his story, he was bundled off by the MPK ppl into their car (not police car) against his will. The most MPK ppl can do is to make a police report of e scuffle (n hopefully they get pointed around by e police just like poor normal folks) n then wait for e police to take action (again, action would most prob b taken after much investigation which would take about 2-3 weeks or more).
I would like to hav e MPK ppl show me where in e law or their job description did it say tt they hav e right to bundle ppl into their car for a parking offence? do they think because they wear a uniform, they can act like police? If that is so, then i would like to sponsor them a superman suit each so tt they will jump off some high rise building thinking tt they can fly.
Hey jonwon, would u still say tt it is a small matter if some MPK idiot come n bundle u off to e police station against ur will for a parking offence?
#16 by HJ Angus on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 7:00 pm
A simple incident of failing to display a parking coupon has now escalated into a major incident involving the enforcement officers and the police.
http://malaysiawatch2.blogspot.com/2007/03/wrong-behaviour-all-round.html
The police in charge should have showed more initiative to defuse the situation rather than have the guy post RM1000 bail.
It’s adding insult to injury!
#17 by democrate on Friday, 9 March 2007 - 8:51 pm
The whole incidence that occured has indicated that there is no more respect under the rule of the Pak lembik Dolah from the entire cabinet to the lowest ranking government servants. They just do what they like similar to time of the war lord of the ancient China.
Yet he said the country is under control! What about a sandiwara that performed by the police in Ampang and politician Tian Chua has been suspected of motive of murder ? is it also under control? GO TO HELL LAH !
#18 by hasilox on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 2:16 am
They do sound like Saddam’s Fadayeen, don’t they?
#19 by Tai Lo Chin on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 10:01 am
“Hmmmm …. when you can’t follow simple rule like paying parking fees and at the same time threatened public servant life ….. then you must be prepared to face the consequences !†– Zack
Hmmmm..I think you’ve got it all wrong here, Zack. The one victimized was Pua Chia Teng. The one who parked without a parking coupon and got into a “scuffle†with the MPK attendant was his elder brother Pau Khiau Seong. The excerp above does not reveal who started the scuffle.
The one whom a group of MPK enforcement officers forcibly dragged to the Klang police headquarters to give a statement regarding the scuffle was Chia Teng, not himself involved in the scuffle with MPK attendant.
Could MPK enforcement officers take law into their own hands and forcibly restrain, abduct and force Chia Teng, not involved in scuffle, to police station, Zack?
What offence had Chia Teng committed that at the police station he was detained and had to pay RM1,000 bail to be released?
Chia Teng himself not involved in scuffle was not under legal obligation to make a police report. It was not unlawful or an offence for him not to make a report. The MPK enforcement officer involved in the scuffle with his brother was at liberty to make his own report.
What is involved here is pure thuggery on MPK attendants’ part. Only gangsters, slighted, would go off, get their troops and return to avenge their member lashing out at whoever around associated with the earlier offender.
I am surprised Zack that your first reaction without reading closer is to apologise for MPK Attendants’ actions and blame the innocent victim, Chia Teng.
Chia Teng should lodge a police report against MPK attendants and sue the Municipal Council of Klang responsible for manhandling him in humiliating way.
The larger issue concerns the proliferation of half baked-half educated men given uniforms and swaggering around abusing their powers and bullying from strength of numbers under employ of the state. Yesterday it was MPK attendants. Today may be Rela officers and tomorrow maybe officers from some religious department enforcing morality.
Wearing a uniform screws the mind. Adolf Hitler’s instrument of terror were his SS Corps whose progenitor were restless young men given uniform, wear arm bands and called themselves the ‘brownshirts’. Hitler’s understood such men were united by “common uniformâ€Â, “common ideals†(to maintain and enforce power) and common “scoundrelismâ€Â.
#20 by HJ Angus on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 11:00 am
Well today the council chief claims his men acted within the law.
I agree the victim should sue both the council and the police for damages.
Time to bring back local elections.
#21 by blueheeler on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 11:01 am
beware the power of the petty civil servant who has too much power
#22 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 12:22 pm
Perhaps Pua the tailor can lodge a police report for assault and battery by MPK officers.
Problem is: the same police guys who took the report from MPK officers will now have to take the report from Pua.
But a police report from Pua is essential if he had been physically assaulted. After all forcibly manhandling Pua & bringing him to the police station is not one of MPK’s duties!
Pua should also commence a civil suit against MPK and officers for damages for the tort of trespass to the person.
Let’s see if mainstream papers report the legal action taken.
This is why we need local council elections. Hey, Ong Ka Ting – you also sleeping like Pak LAh, eh? Make sure Ong Ka Ting lose his seat in Johore for next elections. Hopeless Minister.
#23 by sheriff singh on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 12:31 pm
“Little Napoleons”, as the sleepy one would say. He dare not and can not act against his own people as they are working with him and for him. He regularly turns a blind eye (when they are actually open and he’s awake) on all this shenanigans by his people.
50 years on but do you feel safe? Are we better off than Ghana?
#24 by k1980 on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 1:32 pm
Many things have happened with Pak Ngantuklah as PM! Students in UKM are being classified by their lecturer into kafirs and non-kafirs….the same as Hitler classifying people into Aryans and subhumans. This is racism at its worst…
http://www.arimiraj.com/2007/03/where-is-respect.html
#25 by pwcheng on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 2:56 pm
Zack, Sorry that I have to tell you this which I seldom do. What you wrote although is right but when you take in the bigger picture this country sucks. What happen to those who do not follow rules of the country like the one eye jack, the railway gate keeper and the Senator AP king and so on and so forth. Why are they allowed scots free.
Isn’t all these likely to contribute to the people’s behavior of not obeying the law. Laws are made and it should be applied equally to everybody.
#26 by lupus on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 3:01 pm
Let look at this. The person broke the law, hence issue them with a parking ticket. Isn’t that what MPK is suppose to do? Why is MPK going around arresting people? Are they making a citizen’s arrest? They are not the Malaysian Police in the first place and should have lodge a police report. However, MPK are now doing the job of the Malaysian Police. If anyone, the tailor’s brother and all the MPK officers should be charged by the police. In my view, MPK can be charge with kidnapping as the tailor has done no wrong except to stop an people from getting hurt.
As to what this got to do with the PM, well, it is an abuse of power from what I can see, stepping over their authority and local election has been suspend for a very long time. Time to bring back local elections.
In case you are all unaware, unless you are send oversea by the Govt as a student or representative, you cannot vote as an overseas Malaysian. You are not considered a citizen if you do not fall under the defination of an absent voter…
#27 by pwcheng on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 3:12 pm
In the first place do you know why or be able to understand why they are reluctant to have local councils election. Most of the bigger and developed towns are having Chinese and non Bumis as majority. If they have an election all these major towns will have non- Bumis as council presidents and KL will be having a Chinese Mayor. That is for sure and that is why election for local councils will never happen as long as UMNO is in power. OKT cannot do much and neither has he the power under the local council act to ask for such elections. The only way to have local council’s election is to change the government.
#28 by Rocky on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 5:03 pm
Klang…Datuk Z area? anyway these people think they are above the law and can do what they want with the rakyat just cos they are wearingan uniform and have some power.
Zack -Two wrongs don’t make a right. Wonder what happens if we all do that?
Will they be punished..NO WAY!!! yeah and OKT can go fly kite.
#29 by Not spoon fed on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 11:03 pm
This is the by-products of previous prime minister’s authoritarian ruling for 23 years.
During the 23 year of ruling by previous prime minister, no action, education and disclipline had been ever taken on local council officers. As a result, all local council offers feel that they are great and above the laws.
All local council offers or staffs worked at local council as permanent and secure job to retirement. They were well protected by their local chief.
So, this proves well that the “election” of local council offers or committees members should be implemented.
Government jobs are easy – short working hour, long lunch break, secure, no retrenchmen, no sacking evern mistakes, etc…..long list.
#30 by Godamn Singh on Saturday, 10 March 2007 - 11:32 pm
This is just like any other incidents involving Malaysians who go on with their daily lives!
A motorist ignoring regulations by illegally parking his car (except this one is a Mercedes, a symbol of influence and power to many) met the wrath of an enforcement personnel who was only doing his work. The motorist must have treated the enforcement officer with disrespect and contempt as owners of luxury cars are prone to do – they feel that they are above the law for some reason.
I agree that officials could have over reacted to the situation. Nevertheless, the shouts and scuffles which ensued, ordinarily in other countries, would have resulted in the motorist being handcuffed and led away – for obstruction, for preventing a public official from doing his job.
I do not think the DAP should involve itself in the incident. It should be concentrating itself on the larger issues that affect Malaysians – Malaysians who obey the law.
#31 by shortie kiasu on Sunday, 11 March 2007 - 6:47 pm
Another episode of shame, low mentality, low intelligence of government servants, is hereby written into the annals of mediocrity of government/civil servants in this country for the world to see.
To these government/civil servants, they thought it is their supreme right and power to do such acts that demean the the whole service and damage its image irrepairably.
To their mentality, they fell proud but to others and the world, they are indeed the most stupid.
When will they ever learn? Can we pose this question to Abdullah Ahmad, the defacto CEO of the government/civil service organization?
In this incidence, it is ironical that Pua Chia Teng should “eat the dead cat” of his elder brother Khiau Seong, who just disappeared with his MERCEDES BENZ.
No pity from the public even his fellow shop owners and bystanders. He should asked his brother for compensation because he champion his “cause”.
#32 by APKINGS on Monday, 12 March 2007 - 10:51 am
MPK officers = Police ? Whose allowed it? Whose in Controlled now? Who is the BOSS now?
#33 by japankiller on Monday, 12 March 2007 - 10:46 pm
zack Says:
March 9th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Hmmmm …. when you can’t follow simple rule like paying parking fees and at the same time threatened public servant life ….. then you must be prepared to face the consequences ! It nothing but a citizen not prepare to follow simple rule. What will happen if everybody does that?
My Advise for Zack.
From the words you type we can surely certain that you are 100% Malysian, because you know nothing about your right.
You don’t pay, yes you face the consequences of being fine. But definitely you don’t expect such a humiliated act.
MPK is not police, their job is just issuing ticket for those who are not obey the street parking rules, and also taking care of those sampah sarap. If they are not happy, they should have lodge a report to the police then leave the job to police whether to take any action against Pua.
Unfortunately they are actually acted ultra vires (Zack, i hope you know this word, if not please check a dictionary) and escort someone to police station is definitely part of their duty.
Just wonder how could suddenly the MPK officer could have call so much of their member in a short time, aren’t they suppose in the working hour or they are just having a teh tarik somewhere near the mamak stall waiting for cari pasal at anytime?