Could the police have gone overboard while chasing down the suspect which resulted in the death of housewife Pua Bee Chun?
COMMENT
The forums and discussions in Malaysians Against Rape, Assault & snatcH (MARAH) this past week have again been buzzing about the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).
A 22-year-old female passenger in a stolen car driven by her male friend died after being hit by a police gunshot when they ignored orders to stop in Taman Sejati, Klang.
The victim, housewife Pua Bee Chun, who was in the front passenger seat of a Proton Waja, was seriously wounded after being hit by a gunshot fired by police in the direction of the 31-year-old suspect.
Selangor CID chief SAC Mohamad Adnan Abdullah said the incident began at 7.35pm when a police patrol car stumbled upon a car driven in a suspicious manner and ordered it to stop. The driver, however, ignored the order and sped off with the police in pursuit before stopping in Taman Menara.
As one of the policemen was carrying out an inspection, the vehicle suddenly reversed and tried to hit him, forcing the policeman to fire a warning shot. The driver then sped off again to Taman Sejati before stopping in front of a house as he tried to ram the pursuing patrol car. The dangerous act of the suspect forced police to fire several shots at the suspect before he surrendered.
Police found a wounded woman and she was confirmed dead from a gunshot by an ambulance medical assistant later.
The police recovered a parang and a packet of white powder believed to be drugs on the backseat of the car which was reported stolen on Jan 15.
Investigations on the male suspect who was unhurt revealed he had six previous old cases for robbery, burglary and drugs.
Many MARAHans are questioning whether the police may have gone overboard while chasing down the suspect, which resulted in Pua’s death, given that there were allegedly 25 bullets fired at the car and one hit Pua near her heart, killing her instantly.
Subsequently, Mohd Adnan said that police have classified the case under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and started investigating even before reports of the incident had appeared on some news portals and blogs, and are investigating the shooting thoroughly, including if it was within the confines of the law.
Attempted murder is punishable with a jail sentence of between 10 and 20 years under the Section 307.
IPCMC calls
Pua’s husband, lorry driver Foo Voon Kong, 26, has lodged a police report in which he called for action to be taken against the Klang police for failing to justify their shooting of his wife and leaving his two children without their mother.
No one is above the law and “we will not compromise with anyone even if they are our own”, SAC Mohd Adnan said. He explained that the police are now waiting for forensic reports before determining whether the policemen in question had committed any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, the driver has been had been brought to the Klang magistrate’s court and charged with four offences including possession of drugs and weapons, and driving a stolen vehicle.
Pua’s death has reignited calls for the government to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) after a public uproar broke out over another two police-related deaths last month.
Less than two weeks ago, four policemen were accused together with a mob, of beating a security guard to death. C Sugumaran, 39, was said to have had his hands handcuffed while eyewitnesses claimed he was lynched by the police and a mob of about 20 people after running amok near his home in Taman Desa Raya, Kajang.
Sugumaran’s death comes on the heels of the custodial death of Chang Chin Te, 30, who died in the USJ 8 police station’s lock-up on Jan 14. Chang had 19 previous criminal records, which included five drug-related offences, and tested positive for methamphetamine use after his arrest. He left behind a wife and four young children.
There’s quite a list of those who have died in custody including the deadly police shooting of 14-year-old schoolboy Aminulrasyid Amzah in 2010. The authorities have denied any wrongdoing in all these cases.
To keep yourself better informed on your rights in the event that you are ever arrested, download the Bar Council’s multiple language Redbook guide here:
This column will take a break next week. Wishing all FMT readers a very happy and prosperous Chinese New Year. Drive responsibly during the “balik kampung” journey and please put into place measures to safeguard your homes, businesses and properties in your absence. Stay safe always.
Dave Avran is the founder of MARAH (Malaysians Against Rape, Assault & snatcH)
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