Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar today lambasted the police for allegedly carrying out “summary executions” as a shortcut measure to deal with crime.
The lawyer was responding to the police shooting in Klang on Monday which led to the deaths of five suspected armed robbers, aged between 17 and 24. Three of them were brothers.
The deceased were said to be members of the ‘PCO Boy’ gang which is responsible for a spate of robberies.
“Can you imagine three coffins in one family house for their mother to grieve. Even in the case of a sudden death in ordinary circumstances, the mother may take a lifetime to get over her grief.
“Here, three sons are killed in the most tragic manner i.e. shot dead in cold blood for merely being a suspect,” he said in a statement.
“But the scores of corrupt policemen actually involved in crime are not shot dead. Why?” he asked.‘Sack IGP and CID chief’
The former Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader also recalled how even ‘Botak Chin’, the nation’s most wanted man in the 1980s, was captured alive, put on trial and only then sent to the gallows.
According to the rule of law, Uthayakumar said, even a criminal sentenced to death must be treated with respect.
He also questioned the rationale behind the government’s decision to allocate RM1 billion to the police department in the 2010 national budget.
“What for? To practice short cuts, lower down their efficiency rates, take the law into their hands and to give the police force the wrong signal that they are above the law and can get away with murder?
“And to shoot dead and kill especially Indian youths as a means to reduce the crime rate?” he said.
The police on Tuesday denied that they were “trigger-happy”.
“When police officers shoot, they do not shoot to kill, but rather they shoot to stop the deadly force threat,” said Bakri (left) in a statement.
“It is clearly within the right of the police to act in self-defence and protect the lives of innocent bystanders,” he added.
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