To Shave or Not to Shave, That is the Question

In an age where so much information is available on the Net, it seems that our system of catching and holding suspects before they are charged is related more to the dark age of the Inquisition rather than a nation that is striving to achieve Vision2020.

Coming so soon after the Squatgate incident that needed another Commission of Inquiry, we now have to bear the embarrassment of eleven senior citizens being treated like hardcore criminals.

No one questions the important role that our law enforcers play to safeguard our cities and protect our lives and properties but we must always remember that all powers of the police come from laws that are passed in Parliament as Malaysia is a country that follows democratic rules. The police officers are part of this administration and cannot be a law unto themselves.

Even as all citizens are subject to the country's laws and rules, we need those who uphold such laws to conduct themselves to a higher standard of behaviour.

Some may not like to operate with many rules and regulations and it is understandable that a few may not be able to acquit themselves well when the IPCMC is operating. These officers will need retraining or they should consider a transfer to other departments.

Any police apparatus can only operate effectively if there is good cooperation from the general public. Once the public loses faith in the police, the task of upholding law and order becomes untenable unless we evolve into a police state where family members become informers.

As many OCPDs do not subscribe to the lock-up procedures followed in Kajang, it becomes important that approved lock-up rules should be published so we need not hear more horror stories of this nature.

People should be treated to different procedures for different charges.

Top leaders are simply spending so much energy on issues that a proper management and control system should be able to handle. Looking at the many senior cops who will retire in 2006, it seems that succession planning has been solely missing in the police organisation.

One would imagine that to upgrade the force, the following steps would be necessary each year:

Send the top 15% of officers aged below 45 years to police graduate school that should last at least 2 years part-time study during alternate weekends.

And

Select the best 10% based on work performance and exams for fast-track promotion to be able to reach the top levels within three to five years.

Reading today’s report, it seems that the Kajang OCPD is a gentleman when it comes to the women detainees. They do not get their hair cropped as per rules. So can he be accused of sex discrimination?

It is unfortunate that this “botak” incident happened to elderly Chinese men who were celebrating the Lunar New Year. It seemed a heavy-handed action that could have an impact on racial harmony.

Malaysians are a pragmatic lot and can give proper feed-back when the situation warrants it. We need to continue to be vigilant against those who want to upset the equilibrium of good law and order or the next photo of a shaved head could very well be yours if you end up in the Kajang lock-up.

photo: malaysiakini