Police must answer for alleged 'balik China' flare-up

(Malaysiakini)The police have been given till Friday to respond to a report filed against an investigating officer for allegedly making a racist remark, or have the issue escalated to Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng (right) said it was unbecoming of a police officer to tell the complainant, Loh See Mooi, to balik Cina (go back to China) just because he assumed she did not understand Malay.

Lim said the 51-year-old housewife was filing a report at the Sentul police station on Aug 24 following a snatch theft where she lost her purse and documents.

He claimed that the investigating officer assigned to take Loh's statement however told her and her daughter to balik Cina kalau tak pandai cakap Melayu (go back to China if you don't know how to speak Malay) after Loh's daughter started speaking in English.

Lim said the mother and daughter were taken aback by the officer's sudden outburst, to which Loh responded by asking in Malay why the officer assumed that she did not speak or understand Malay.

Loh, accompanied by Lim, later lodged a police report at the Kepong police station against the officer on Saturday.

A team from Bukit Aman later went to her home on Sunday to record a statement on her complaint. Loh was however summoned again this morning to give a further statement to the one filed on Saturday,

"Why is it that she has to give so many statements to different officers? Isn't it enough for the statement to be taken by Bukit Aman? Does the right hand talk to the left hand?," Lim questioned.

The DAP man stressed that either way, they are expecting the police, particularly the Sentul station, to respond to the complaint by Friday.

"If they fail to do so, we will take this higher, including with the (home) minister," he said.