According to media reports, seven friends who were on a fishing and diving jaunt off Lumut were allegedly threatened with guns by Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency personnel. The armed men had accused the seven of entering an off-limit zone.

The alleged high-handed tactics of the marine police who are supposed to be guardians of the law show blatant disrespect for life and the police code of conduct. Rather than behaving like marine police and upholding the law, the marine police seem to be acting like pirates.

There are two issues here on the action of the marine police in shooting into the water - one dealing with damages against the eco-system and the other, more importantly, on a possible loss of life.

What if the bullet had hit the two divers underwater? Would APMM shoulder responsibility for the injuries sustained or if a life was lost? There were no threats or resistance against the marine police. All the boat captain asked was for some time to call the divers back up to the deck. As a responsible captain, he could not just abandon the two divers in the middle of the sea with no land in sight.

It was irresponsible and callous for the marine police to demand that the boat captain sail the boat back to the APMM base in Lumut whilst leaving the two divers still underwater stranded. No charges were read out against the boat captain or the other divers.

If the divers had really steered off course, international practice would require that a verbal warning or advisory be given at least once, particularly in this case involving unarmed civilians. Being trigger-happy, whether into the air or into the ground or in this case, into the sea by security personnel is akin to 'shooting to kill'.

This action is simply reprehensible and is totally unacceptable behaviour by any international standard and suggests illegitimate power abuse by uniformed authorities.

How is Malaysia ever going to promote its coral reefs and marine life as an international diving destination for foreign and domestic tourists when genuine fears abound over trigger-happy marine police? More pertinently, how do we restore faith in the public when doubts of power abuse overshadow the supposed incorruptibility of the police?