A New York-based human rights group has joined in the urging for the ouster of Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from the cabinet following his racially-charged statement propagating police “shoot first” when dealing with suspected criminals.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) deputy Asia director Phil Robertson stated that Zahid’s statement showed “gross indifference for the right to life and the rights of the country’s minority populations”.

NONE“Home Minister Zahid is Malaysia’s top law enforcement official, yet he is promoting the illegal use of lethal force.

“Prime Minister Najib (Abdul Razak) should be clear he won’t tolerate such statements or unlawful practices, which show a callous disregard for basic rights.”

Zahid’s controversial statement has invited criticism from various quarters, including by leaders of fellow BN component parties Gerakan and MCA, opposition politicians, human right groups and even international media, with many urging his removal from the cabinet.

Pointing out that although shooting first is not a police policy, HRW said various incidents in Malaysia suggest that police have adopted the policy, citing the pre-dawn raid in Sungai Nibong, Penang on Aug 19 which resulted in the deaths of five ethnic Indians whom police alleged were secret society members.

‘Shoot-first’ against international laws

NONEHRW said while Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar announced the men had opened fire after police ordered them to open the door, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P Waythamoorthy (left) suggested otherwise, stating that photos of the bodies suggested they five were shot at point-blank range.

The human rights group also pointed out another incident in Cheras last April, where three men were shot dead for alleged robbery of a jewelry store.

“Killings of criminal suspects by Malaysian police suggest that Ahmad Zahid’s disturbing remarks may already reflect the practice of some law enforcement officials,” Robertson said, adding too many people have died in a hail of police bullets for Malaysia’s leaders to continue to sit on their hands.

Robertson added that a shoot-first policy by law enforcement personnel violates international human rights law and standards, such as Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement.

He further cited Principle 1 of the United Nations Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, which provide that “executions shall not be carried out under any circumstances,” nor may “[e]xceptional circumstances… be invoked as a justification of such executions.”

Meanwhile, he said Principle 9 of the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials provides that “intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.”

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