The off-duty policeman who fatally shot a 28-year-old bus driver allegedly involved in a gang fight was authorised to carry a firearm, clarified the police.

Johor police chief Amir Sulaiman said the policeman in question was a detective and had the written permission of the deputy district police chief to carry a gun at all times.

This is inaccordance with the Inspector-General of Police's Standing Order B 108, he added in a fax dated May 8 to the Police Watch and Human Rights Committee (PWHRC).

"Apart from this, all police personnel are considered as always on duty when required to act accordingly to Section 19 of the Police Act," said Amir.

The Section stipulates that: "Every police officer...shall, for the purpose of this Act be deemed to be always on duty when required to act as such and shall perform the duties and exercise the powers granted to him under the Act or any other law in Malaysia where he may be doing duty."

Amir's response was made available to malaysiakini today.

He was responding to a letter sent by the PWHRC regarding the case of S Sarawanan who was gunned down by a policeman in Kota Tinggi Johor last October.

'Cop linked to underworld'

Sarawanan's widow V Kaliamah has claimed that the policeman was linked to the underworld and it was common knowledge among the people there.

She also claimed that her husband was on medical leave resting at home when the policeman allegedly telephoned him and asked him to come to a nearby restaurant.

The restaurant is where the alleged fight took place.

Meanwhile, her lawyer P Uthayakumar has written to the Attorney-General Abu Gani Patail regarding the issue.

In a letter dated May 2, he said that despite three police reports, the policeman involved in the incident has yet to be arrested or prosecuted.

Among the questions raised in the letter were why was the policeman allowed to carry a firearm after work and what was he doing at a restaurant with a criminal gang in the wee hours of the morning?

The Malaysian police have constantly been accused of turning a blind eye to human rights and being trigger happy.

The barrage of complaints had led the government to set up a Royal Commission to probe the allegations and come up with recommendations to improve the force's battered public image.

One of the poignant and hotly disputed recommendations is the call for the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).