Source : Malaysian Mirror
Thursday, 25 June 2009 20:17
KUALA LUMPUR – Klang MP Charles Santiago is crying foul over an alleged abuse of police power at a DAP gathering on June 21.
He brought the issue to the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday but was rejected by Speaker Amin Mulia, who said the matter was not of urgent interest.He claimed the event organisers had fulfilled all stipulated conditions to hold the function, which was to celebrate the party’s 43rd year and Fathers’ Day, and the police had initially also given the permit for the gathering.
However, he added, a day before the event was scheduled, the police cancelled the permit and rejected an appeal by the organisers.
Santiago said on the day of the event about 800 policemen and members of the Federal Reserve Unit were stationed at the venue of the dinner. He alleged the police also took away their microphones and closed all roads leading to the venue.
Waste of money and manpower
He claimed 12 police cars, seven FRU trucks and seven water-canon trucks were standing by to put fear among the public.
I regret this had happened as it has wasted much public funds and police manpower which could, otherwise, have been used more effectively to fight crime. The police keep saying they are short of people in the force. Yet, they could afford to waste public money and police resources to trespass our dinner and to intimidate our party and the people.
Santiago urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to take steps to reform the force, such as revising the Police Act 1967, protect and defend basic human rights by scrapping Section 27 of the Act and speed up the setting of an independent commission regarding the power abuse by the police.