YOURSAY | When loyalty to institution takes precedence over people's lives

YOURSAY | 'Those wearing a badge seem to be beyond reproach.’

COMMENT | From Baltimore to Kuala Lumpur, when impunity wears a badge

Cops investigating cops: Noorizwan's family press Harapan MPs for parliamentary probe into death

Exile: RK Anand’s analogy between Baltimore and Kuala Lumpur is an important one that needed articulation. Both raise fundamental questions about the abuse of authority, institutional impunity, and the failure of accountability.

The deeper problem lies in the absence of a moral compass when developmental authoritarianism becomes the prevailing social contract.

The badge, the uniform, and the gun become symbols of authority seemingly beyond independent inquiry. Loyalty to the institution takes precedence over accountability to the rakyat, while obedience is mistaken for justice.

Yet there is hope, and perhaps it lies not in Baltimore but in the most unlikely of places: Serbia. The emergence of the student‑led movement and its “Student Lists” offers an alternative political imagination - one in which young citizens challenge entrenched authority through collective organisation, democratic participation, and demands for accountability.

Malaysia’s younger generation might find inspiration in this experience. The real challenge is not merely to replace those who wield authority, but to dismantle the culture of impunity that allows power to operate without moral restraint or public accountability.

Logic Ah: Anand is wrong in saying there is a lack of political will. I disagree.

There is a very strong political will at play here - just not the kind we want. It is a political will to protect enforcement bodies no matter what happens.

Whether this is because politicians have skeletons in their cupboards that they fear might be exposed, or because they genuinely believe ordinary citizens need no protection, the result is the same.

The political will is to ride out all these incidents, deny accountability, and hope the public eventually forgets.

Koel: This case has angered people. And Home Minister (Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) who cannot provide answers regarding the investigation from the family lawyers is not helping this situation.

If this government fails to handle this case quickly and to bring suspects to book, this may well be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

The PM needs to find responsible ministers and personnel to handle this immediately. Who did he task with this case?

Anonymous_3f4b: What can the DAP MPs do other than receive the memorandum (addressed to the inspector-general of police, which was received by his officer from the Corporate Communications Unit), sheepishly?

The memorandum will be stuffed into the back seat once the Madani government says there is “no case” or simply remains mute.

DAP cannot even secure justice or uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of its own member under MACC custody 17 years ago - despite holding positions in both state and federal governments. Utterly hopeless.

Observer from space: A very apt article. Perhaps here it is even more serious, as the mix of corruption, politics, race, and religion all come into play. Thank you, Anand.

MarioT: Let us hope the federal police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director M Kumar will be able to reveal the truth and nothing but the truth.

Let us also hope this will pave the way for thorough investigations into all past wrongdoings committed by the police.

Apanama is back: “Can the police credibly investigate themselves?” Under the Madani administration, “sendiri siasat sendiri” (investigate oneself) is rebranded as “high integrity”, “high independence”, and a “high likelihood of sweeping things under the carpet”.

It is all a show - a performance designed so that, after some time, people will fall silent and forget.

Is anyone still making noise about the Durian Tunggal shooting after the previous “police probe police” task force? No.

As long as no administration has the courage to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), no amount of “sendiri siasat sendiri” task forces or probes will bring justice to victims or their families. None.

It appears both the prime minister and the home minister lack the will to push through IPCMC because they fear losing votes. Police votes are clearly more important than the lives of those who die in police custody.

Does anyone understand? This is why the system is too rotten to be redeemed.

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