DAP

Police – back off, be neutral and stop being catspaw to Umno leaders

By Kit

November 13, 2008

Why was DAP Selangor State Executive councillor, Ronnie Liu arrested in so rough and high-handed a manner just before the Selangor State Exco meeting yesterday at the Selangor State Secretariat in Shah Alam?

One would have thought that Ronnie had become a dangerous criminal or had been guilty of some capital crime from the police operation, refusing to allow Ronnie to attend the Selangor State Exco meeting although he promised to surrender himself at the Puchong police station later.

In the event, Ronnie was in the Puchong police station for about 15 minutes when his brother came to post RM2,000 bail – to be charged at the Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court on Monday.

What was Ronnie’s crime? For allegedly obstructing a Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) officer from carrying out his duty. When? Nov. 2 last year.

Is this the latest case of malicious prosecution?

Without going into the merits or demerits of the charge, one is entitled to ask why the police took more than a year to decide whether to arrest and charge Ronnie or not on such a simple and straightforward matter?

Is the police action against Ronnie related to the campaign of the former Selangor Mentri Besar Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo for Umno Youth chief election?

This is a very normal question that is being asked.

Was this Umno-linkage another reason why the DAP Selangor Senior State Exco and MP for Seputeh, Teresa Kok, fell victim to a Internal Security Act (ISA) “sting” operation resulting in her being detained for seven days in September?

The Police should back off, be neutral and stop being catspaw to Umno leaders in their high-stake pursuit for power, positionn and money in the current Umno party elections.

Or was Ronnie’s arrest yesterday a reprisal by the Selangor Police Officer for the avalanche of public criticisms for his high-handed arrest of peaceful participants (including three DAP elected representatives, Tony Pua (MP – PJ Utara), Lau Weng San (ADUN – Kampong Tunku) and Ronnie) at Sunday’s candlelight vigil for justice, freedom, democracy as well as for free, fair and clean general election?

Public respect for the police have fallen to a new low with the high-handed arrest of Ronnie yesterday as the instant reaction in Selangor and the country is how ordinary Malaysians can expect respect and fair play from the police when even a state exco member could be treated in so rough and high-handed a manner?