The statement from the police top brass that they are seeking the person who filmed the incident of the shocking naked ear squats clearly worsens the position of the police rather than helping it.

It is clearly unproven that the concealment of contraband items in bodily orifices can be detected by doing squats naked, up and down. Besides, why hold one's ears unless it is suggested that it is hidden in the ears?

Ear squats is for punishing the repentant (after being proven guilty) but it is tantamount to a form of torture when one is compelled to do it naked.

It may well be standard police operational procedure. If it is, then this is more of an indictment of the force in that such abuse has been institutionalised. It is better to apologise for not knowing better than to reaffirm such procedure as "routine" that infers its continuation.

It has to be realised that such 'standard operational procedures' which might be considered as routine are nowadays perceived as abuse of power and a violation of human rights. They can no longer be defended much less continued. Technology today would make such continuation difficult as the exposure of the naked ear squats episode clearly shows.

It is this same advance in technology that will broadcast this ignominious episode instantaneously world wide via the Internet. So it is not only the Malaysian public but also the entire world who will judge whether our prime minister's description of this country having a first world infrastructure but third world mentality is an exaggeration.

To go after the person who exposed this incident rather than the one who initiated it shows how the authorities have not only failed to gauge public sentiment but have also failed to respond to advances in technology. Any bureaucracy which does not appreciate this and fails to respond, will lose its credibility and cease to be relevant.