DAP: Call off Ops Warta before it becomes a joke

comments     Leong Kar Yen     Published     Updated

Federal police chief Norian Mai has been urged to call off the nation-wide traffic offence dragnet, Ops Warta II, to prevent it from turning into a joke.

"Norian should exercise leadership by calling off Ops Warta II so that it would not be reduced to a joke by being transformed into Ops Summons Server by the 4,600 traffic personnel to serve 3.3 million summons or more appropriately, Ops Face-Saving," said DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang in a statement today.

The police had earlier announced that under Ops Warta II, traffic offenders who have not paid their fines would be subject to arrest in a dragnet which would include police officers going to homes, public car parks as well as setting up roadblocks.

Errant motorists were initially given a May 1 deadline but it was later extended to May 16..

The initial number of outstanding traffic fines were 4.6 million but went down to 3.3 million after the May 1 deadline.

The launch of the operation caused panic among many offenders causing long queues and confusion at police stations and payment counters throughout the country.

Legality questioned

A spanner was, however, thrown into the works when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Rais Yatim questioned the legality of the police action. The Attorney-General's office clarified yesterday that the police acted legally on the matter.

"Norian should be concerned that the police department, the foremost agency in the country to uphold law and order, has acted in a manner most subversive of the principle of the rule of law, throwing up the great issues of accountability and transparency of the police force.

"Was there not a single voice from the phalanx of government experts in the Attorney-General's chambers, the home ministry and the police cautioning and warning that Ops Warta II was based on a completely wrong and mistaken interpretation of the law?" Lim asked.

He also called on the government to immediately cancel the operation and to make way for a discussion between the government with political parties, the Bar Council and other non-governmental organisations.

"Maybe the police should next time just give a tinkle to DAP deputy chairman Karpal Singh to get his second opinion before plunging the country into such chaos and pandemonium over Ops Warta II," Lim added in jest.



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