I was saddened to see yet another person judge and lay blame on Aminulrasyid Amzah, who died after being shot by the police. I was then completely flabbergasted when I noticed that the statement came from Assoc Prof Dr Teoh Hsien Jin, a noted and well-respected clinical psychologist in Malaysia.

Teoh blames the incident on the fact that Aminulrasyid was driving without a license. True. It is against the law to drive without a license. It is dangerous when an untrained person is behind the wheel. But, is this worthy of a punishment of death? Absolutely not.

Aminulrasyid Amzah was a 15-year old boy – an adolescent. It is well-accepted that this is a tumultuous period in human development. It is a time where individuals seek their own identity, one that is separate from members of their family as well as peers.

It is also a time of learning of social boundaries. It is not uncommon for adolescents to attempt risky or thrill seeking behavior to test the limits of their abilities and their boundaries. Also, it is just that: thrill-seeking. Some adolescents would turn to sporting activities, some to music, some to drugs and alcohol.

Aminulrasyid simply took his sister’s car out for a late night drive.

Teoh also points out that the police had to act in the way they did because Aminulrasyid sped off in his car. True, such behavior would raise suspicions. But think about it. The boy reacted out of fear.

Faced with a situation that he obviously did not anticipate and was beyond his control, Aminulrasyid reacted with the typical acute stress response – commonly known as fight or flight – and did what he thought was best at the time. He was driving towards his home for safety.

I sympathise with the fact that Malaysian police are overworked and underpaid. But, does this justify the killing of anyone suspected of committing a crime?

Maybe what is needed is education for police on how to better manage stress. Also, it may be necessary to heed the call for reforms in the police force. The police should perhaps take a moment to appreciate the actual problems in the force and seek to remedy that instead of going on the defense and sullying the reputation of Aminulrasyid and causing hurt to his grieving family and friends.

A young boy has died. A family has lost a son. Aminulrasyid Amzah has lost a future full of possibilities. I think statements like those published are insensitive and inappropriate in the face of such a tragedy. It is also reflective of how violence has become so accepted in Malaysian society. This is a real cause for concern.

I sincerely hope that people will realise that real people are involved in situations such as this. Labeling them as criminals or delinquents does not make police shootings acceptable.

I also hope that Aminulrasyid Amzah does not merely end up as another statistic, but that everyone – the police, the government and Malaysians – ensure that another Aminulrasyid does not die and another family grieves.