LFL wants govt to review guidelines for VIP escort

Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has urged the government to review the guidelines for escorting VIPs following the assault case involving a deaf e-hailing driver.

LFL adviser N Surendran said the emphasis must be on public safety.

“The government must also look into this. They have to amend the law and make it clear that public safety is paramount,” he told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

Surendran, who is also the lawyer for the e-hailing driver, Ong Ing Keong, said the escort should not compromise on public safety when carrying out their duty.

“No doubt you have to protect whichever VIP you are protecting but not at the expense of public safety,” he added.

Previously, Ong lodged a police report alleging he was assaulted by a police officer escorting Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim while waiting for a customer at the St Regis Hotel lobby in KL Sentral.

In March, it was reported that in the revised Section 21 Police Act 1967 (Act 344), police have now been granted legal authority to conduct escort duties, particularly for VIP convoys.

The amendments, which included appointing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Honorary Commissioner-in-Chief of the police, were among 10 proposed amendments passed by Parliament on March 22.

The amended act states under Clause 4 of Section 21 that it is the duty of police officers to carry out escort duties.

Subsection 2 states that any person who obstructs, opposes or disobeys any reasonable direction given by any police officer in the performance of his duties under this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable.

Offenders can face fines up to RM10,000 and potential jail time up to two years, which is a substantial jump from the previous RM200 fine and two-month sentence under this subsection.

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