Poster stomping: We won't take sides, say cops
The police will not take sides and will investigate incidents where posters depicting opposition leaders were stepped on, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh said today.
The police will not take sides and will investigate incidents where posters depicting opposition leaders were stepped on, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mohmad Salleh said today.
However, there is a catch. The police will only take action if a report is lodged with them.
"We should remember that police action depends on the reports that are lodged.
"If no one lodges a report, we won't know (of the incident), and so how are we to investigate?" Mohamad said.
He was responding to questions from journalists on allegations by Pakatan Rakyat leaders that the police were practising double standards in handling such issues.
The police are on the hunt for 11 individuals accused of either stepping on the photograph of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak or other leaders.
Thus far, several people have turned themselves in while one youth was arrested at a private college.
Several Pakatan leaders have pointed out that this was a clear-cut case of selective prosecution as many of their leaders have been victims of similar acts, with the perpetrators unpunished.
On the eve of Merdeka Day, some 10,000 people took part in a gathering - dubbed Janji Demokrasi - organised by 47 NGOs to usher in the 55th anniversary of Independence.
On why the police didn't stop Janji Demokrasi from taking place, he said his men were only instructed to monitor Dataran Merdeka and not the adjacent areas where the gathering took place.
"We didn't go there, but we did keep a watch out for them.
"We only took action after people lodged police reports, after YouTube clips and news articles about the event appeared," he said.
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