Opposition party is not the authority on criminal cases — Abdul Karim
KUCHING: Sarawak Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chief Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the DAP should not be the place for alleged wrongdoers and lawbreakers to fall back on.
The DAP should also be more responsible and not try to sensationalise alleged wrongdoings of suspected law breakers, he added.
Karim, who is also chief political secretary to the Chief Minister, said people must report to the police, even if one of their own was believed to have acted beyond their powers.
The media must also not give prominence to the DAP because by doing so the public would be swayed to portray the police, who have been entrusted to look after the safety and security of the general public, adversely.
He was referring to media reports on alleged police brutality on a technician following a road mishap at KM85 Jalan Kuchin-Sri Aman around 2pm on Friday.
From what had been reported, said Karim, the technician had refused to follow the instructions of the police and this itself was an offence.
The police must not be cowed by all these threats of alleged brutality.
He also told the public that the DAP was not the authority in cases like what the technician had experienced.
By right, such alleged victims must report the matter to the police and let the police deal with it, he added.
“If anyone feels that the police have acted beyond their powers, report the matter to the authority. The authority here is not the DAP,” he insisted.
Karim, who is Asajaya state assemblyman, asked: “Wonder where these alleged lawbreakers or DAP leaders turn to if their house gets burgled or crime committed on them. Go to the DAP and give statements to the press?”
On Saturday, the 29-year-old technician, named Lai, approached Sarawak DAP deputy publicity chief Wong King Wei to have his version of the incident highlighted in the media.
Wong told the press conference that he had advised Lai to lodge two police reports on Friday because it might have involved a police misconduct.
Lai claimed that he was on his way to Serian from Balai Ringin when the accident happened.
He claimed that a traffic police on a motorcycle hit his car from behind when he wanted to turn right at a junction.
“One of the police men approached me and directed me to alight from my car after the accident. I didn’t follow the instruction immediately because I was still in shock. I told the policemen I needed to make a call first.
“Unfortunately, the policeman started to attack me. He kicked my chest, pulled my hair and punched my face. He latter dragged me into the police car and drive me to Serian police station,” Lai told the media.
He further claimed that another policeman hit him with a cap at the police station.
Wong said that based on Lai’s story, he was “obviously a victim”.
“He didn’t commit any offence and he didn’t try to escape. It is unreasonable for the police to attack him. Furthermore, the policemen didn’t inform Lai the reason for the arrest. Everyone deserves the right to know the reason,” he said.
Wong also said that he had requested an identification parade session for Lai to identify the policeman who had allegedly assaulted him.
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