Even in the Old West, Jaspal saind, wanted posters for outlaws would give their would-be captors the option of bringing them in 'dead or alive'.
"If it is indeed true that the home minister has said that suspected gangsters in Malaysia would be shot without warning, then it is a very disturbing statement indeed," he noted.
Jaspal (left)
was responding to the remarks made by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
during an event in Malacca that suspected criminals should be shot first. The MIC leader pointed out that the most obvious argument against such a precipitate policy was that the suspected criminal might be innocent, have been set up or framed.
"In such a case, the state would be executing, without trial, an innocent man. If indeed the suspect is guilty, that is still no justification for killing him in cold blood. He can be arrested and charged if there is proof," Jaspal added.
If there was a lack of evidence, he said, the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act had armed the Home Ministry with the option of detaining suspects without trial for two years.
"What is the point in voting for the PCA amendments if such murderous tactics are going to be employed?" he asked.
Jaspal pointed out that the best possible criminal justice system in the world was the one practised today, where an accused, particularly one facing capital punishment, is given every opportunity to defend himself and to appoint the lawyer of his choice.
"The death sentence can only be pronounced by the court in strict accordance with the law. No other individual may carelessly appropriate for himself so awful a power.
"If such is allowed, we will become and be viewed as a barbaric nation. We may or may not reclaim our streets from the strutting thugs, but we would have lost our soul as a nation.
"The police force is well-trained and equipped to handle all kinds of criminals. A 'surrender first' policy would be the way to go,"
he added.
'Don't give crime a racial twist'
Jaspal was also surprised that the home minister (right) could imply that crime victims were mostly Malays while the "villains" were Indians or Chinese. "I do not believe there is any truth in this and I am sure there are no statistics to back up such claims. There are only victims and perpetrators and it should not be turned into a racial issue.
"In the case of a large number of Indians involved in gangsterism, the government should look into the root causes. It is a well known trend throughout the world that gangsterism and underground activities prevail among the marginalised communities.
"The Indian community in Malaysia is no different. They have been left out of mainstream development," he added.
While Jaspal said he understood that this was the "silly season of party elections" and outlandish statements from politicians intent on casting themselves as race champions were expected, however, "it was wrong to demonise the Indians in this cynical political game."
“This would strain the fragile fabric of our inter-racial relations, and it is downright irresponsible,” he warned, calling on Zahid to explain himself as the people have been quite alarmed.
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