Group urges police reforms, says to not 'waste the deaths' of cops in Ulu Tiram

Rights group Citizen Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged) has urged Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to not “waste the deaths” of two officers from the Ulu Tiram police station who fell victim in a recent pre-dawn attack.

Caged in a statement raised concern over what it described as a lack of public sympathy for the victims, but at the same time noted that reasons for apathy include the government’s failure to reform the system.

The group said it honoured the victims of Ulu Tiram and appreciated them for their service to the nation.

“We express our condolences to their families. We vow to continue our quest to press for police reforms so that those in police uniforms will be respected as they should be,” said the group.

“We call on Home Minister Saifuddin to do what every home minister since 2004 has failed to do.

“We call on him to devise and publish plans to restore public confidence in the police force,” said the group.

Prominent cases

Among others, Caged cited prominent cases of enforced disappearances - Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat - as well as a High Court verdict that ruled a 2011 shooting case involving a police officer as a homicide.

On Jan 18, the Ipoh High Court ruled that 31-year-old P Kathir Oli’s death was a homicide and not self-defence, as the police previously claimed.

He was gunned down by a police officer outside a pub in Ipoh, Perak, on Sept 15, 2011.

Caged pointed out that following the High Court verdict, Kathir’s family lawyers had twice written to the Attorney-General’s Chambers with a formal request for prosecution of the police officer.

“For 13 years, the police and the public prosecutor have failed the public.

“The police maligned the name of the victim and failed to investigate and prosecute their own.

“The public prosecutor either acquiesced or collaborated with the police,” said the group.

On Jan 10 last year, a coroner presiding over an inquest into Kathir’s death delivered an “open verdict” that meant no one was found to have to answer for his death.

COMMENT | Don’t trivialise Ulu Tiram terror attack

IGP: No foreigners arrested over Ulu Tiram police station attack

Cops heighten security at police stations across country

Visitors throng home of slain cop to pay their respects

Queen pays last respects to two slain cops

Suspect in Ulu Tiram police station attack acted alone, says Saifuddin