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| Southeast Asia |
| Malaysia police 'brutal, corrupt' |
| 2004-08-11 |
| Tuesday, 10 August, 2004, 03:39 GMT 04:39 UK By Jonathan Kent BBC correspondent, Kuala Lumpur The head of a commission inquiry into the Malaysian police says his panel has been inundated with allegations of corruption and brutality. Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi says he wants immediate action to put the commission's proposals into effect. Mr Abdullah has made eliminating corruption a centrepiece of his plans. He ordered a royal commission to be set up to look into the management and workings of the police shortly after coming to power in October. Least-trusted body After 26 public hearings around the country and a series of consultations, it has submitted its preliminary findings. The commission's chairman, Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah, said complainants had repeatedly alleged rampant corruption in the force's traffic, commercial crimes, narcotics and internal investigation divisions. Civil crimes just don't have the big payoffs. The commission had also uncovered evidence that excessive force had been used against detainees, he said, adding that he and his colleagues will be investigating a number of deaths in police custody. In the police's defence, Mr Dzaiddin said they were hampered by a lack of money, personnel and equipment. I believe that they've been working on that "lack of money" angle. The commission's assessment is likely to chime with the public. A survey two years ago by the Dutch embassy found the police were the least trusted official body in Malaysia. Many people report being asked for bribes by officers while others allege that police effectively operate a shoot-to-kill policy. Local media consistently report gun battles involving the police ending with all of the suspects being killed, but without any officers being injured. You have the right to remain dead! |
| Posted by:Zenster |