Put a uniform on a Malay and he is transformed; just like the Malay who becomes a politician. They allegedly become arrogant and obnoxious. They want it their way, all the time. They refuse to listen. They become unreasonable and demanding.

This description also fits many of today’s Datuks. Before they were conferred the ‘Datuk’ title, these men and women were just ordinary citizens, like you and I, largely unknown outside their circle of friends.

What a difference an honorific, like a Datuk, can make. Doors are opened for them, but most important of all, they think they are above the law; like the Datuk from Penang who allegedly assaulted the security guard who filmed him removing a wheel clamp from his car.

Last week in Ampang, a lorry driver reversed into a Mercedes-Benz allegedly belonging to a Datuk. The lorry driver was allegedly mercilessly beaten and kicked like a rag-doll, as he lay on the ground.

Many members of the public and security guards witnessed around five men allegedly assaulting the lorry driver.

Why have we been reduced to a society of on-lookers? Looking the other way seems to be our favourite pastime.

The people who did not go to the rescue of the driver are a perfect example of the moral decline in Malaysia.

We are afraid that the Datuk and his thugs may hurt us or our families.

A few days after the video of the assault on the lorry driver went viral on YouTube, the suspects were finally rounded up. The arrest was swiftly followed by a warning from Selangor police chief Abdul Samah Mat not to share the registration number of the Datuk’s silver car online.

The top cops probably do not realise that the public have lost confidence in the police force.

The rakyat wonder if the police would have acted at all but for the video clip which went viral.

Rightly or wrongly, many people also believe that Datuks are untouchable. It is amazing how civil servants, including policemen, trip over one another to serve Datuks.

Despite the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arresting several Datuks for allegedly stealing several hundred million ringgits from the taxpayer, one very high-ranking Datuk still eludes both the MACC and the police for his role in the missing billions. Why?

In May 2016, a Datuk, who is alleged to be a special adviser to the PM, instructed his friends to drive in a mock convoy. The ‘bogus’ outriders in front of his Bentley tricked the KL traffic with their flashing lights and blaring sirens.

Suspicious traffic policemen stopped the convoy, and one of the Datuk’s bodyguards was found to be in possession of a firearm. The Datuk’s aides were arrested, whilst the Datuk was not apprehended. Why not? It was his convoy.

Perhaps the IGP he should ensure that his policemen do their jobs and attempt to regain our trust.

Told to ‘flash him’ in return

On Jan 14, Ana Jonessy went to a police station in Kota Kinabalu (KK) to report that she had been ‘flashed’ by an unidentified man in Lorong Dewan, in KK.

The policewoman who attended her allegedly laughed at her predicament and allegedly said that she should have flashed him in return.

Ana allegedly said, “One of the policewomen gave me an earful.

“She later sneered that I should’ve flashed him in return, or film him masturbating and upload it to Facebook.

“Maybe he’s mentally ill, maybe it’s the only ‘action’ he gets. Next time just take photos of him.”

Ana posted her complaint on Facebook where it went viral. Her friend who returned to the police station to lodge a report about the whereabouts of the flasher was also treated with contempt.

Her friend was allegedly told by the police, that she had not been flashed at, but had merely seen someone urinating.

So, is it okay to urinate in a public place?

The KK district police chief, ACP M Chandra, denied reports that they had been slow to act. He urged Ana to contact him personally to relate her experience.

Sadly, the damage has been done. When the frontline police staff sneered at Ana and told her to “flash him back”, Ana's confidence in the police evaporated. Ours would, too, if we had been in Ana’s shoes.

The manner in which policemen respond to the people who seek help is important. The IGP needs to understand this.

He should stop warning us not to be vigilantes when he should whip his men into shape to enforce law and order without fear or favour. Cleaning up his own backyard should take priority over threatening the public.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.