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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Cop spars with Suhakam chief over EO revival


A senior police official today got into a heated argument with Suhakam chairperson Hasmy Agam over the latter's opposition to the reinstatement of the Emergency Ordinance (EO). 
 
The incident occurred when Suhakam was unveiling its annual report for 2012 at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur where Hasmy had raised his objection to the EO from a human rights standpoint during the Q&A session. 
 
NONEHasmy (left) said he was "dismayed" by urgings to reinstate the EO - a law that allows for detention without trial - and that he was not convinced by the reasons behind such proposals. 
 
"Immediately after (calls to reinstate the EO), there were (revelations that) a draft(replacement law had been prepared). It looks as if everything has been planned. 
 
"Even the most naive person on the street can see this has been planned," he said. 
 
Hasmy, a former diplomat, said that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should be commended for abolishing the law and "pushing this country forward". 
 
"However we are very dismayed that instead of moving forward, some quarters want to move us backwards, just because of this so-called rise in crime rates," he said. 
 
'Prevention better than cure' 
 
Later, an irate Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohad Nazir, a representative from Bukit Aman, rose from his seat to address the room and state support for the EO. 
 
Mohad said that the EO allowed preventive detention and that "preventive is [sic] better than cure".  
 
NONEWithout the EO, Mohad (right) said the public were now "suffering" and pleaded to Suhakam to support the police's effort to reinstate the EO. 
 
Hasmy responded that other countries were capable of responding to crime without such laws and there were evidence that the EO had been abused in the past. 
 
"So I think it is time for the police to move forward," he said. 
 
He then cited the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Scotland Yard, Interpol, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Victoria Police as notable examples of good policing without such laws. 
 
"There are five there. Why can't Malaysia be number six?" he asked.
 
Mohad retorted that even the United States had the Patriot Act and Guantanamo Bay for the purpose of homeland security, but Hasmy replied that the former may not have read the Patriot Act properly. 
 
Mohad: Well, you see, we have a different demography, a different landscape. PDRM are the most unique police force in the world. 
 
Hasmy: Every police force is unique. 
 
Mohad: No, you cannot compare PDRM with other countries. We are paramilitary, we are intelligence, we are everything. Everything is in the hands of the police. 
 
Mohad then explained that police in Singapore do not have the same amount of responsibilities and should not be used as a comparison. 
 
Mohad: We have more responsibility, so we must have these preventive measures. 
 
Hasmy: Yes, I accept that. We will support anything preventive but it has to be within international norms, it has to respect human rights. 
 
Mohad: There are thousands of criminals released, they have been in there together, they have networked... 
 
Hasmy: That's the fault of the EO, you let them network. 
 
This prompted laughter from the audience, comprising journalists, NGO and government representatives, and conciliatory efforts from Hasmy. 
 
"Look we are not against you, we want to improve you, we want to work with you. We are not against you," said Hasmy, before Mohad grudgingly took his seat. 
 
Mohad told Malaysiakini later that his views were purely his own and do not represent those of the police. He was accompanied by five other police personnel in full uniform.

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