Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
Malaysian police have arrested nearly 1,000 Myanmar nationals
after clashes broke out in the past week. -- PHOTO: SIN CHEW DAILY/ASIA
NEWS NETWORK
Malaysian police have arrested nearly 1,000 Myanmar nationals
after clashes broke out in the past week. -- PHOTO: SIN CHEW DAILY/ASIA
NEWS NETWORK
“We have taken steps to prevent further bloodshed by picking up more than 1,000 Myanmar workers, mainly in Sentul, Cheras, Brickfields and Dang Wangi,” Amar Singh [Kuala Lumpur’s deputy police chief, Sr Asst Comr Datuk Amar Singh] was quoted as saying, adding that illegal migrants to the country would be detained on a more permanent basis.- The Irrawady, 6/6/2013, Malaysia Detains Hundreds of Burmese after Reports of Killings
What has happened to the Burmese migrants that were detained, on the basis that there had been several incidents of violence and deaths on migrants from Burma. Note that there was also a report of an Indonesian migrant who was brutally stabbed (Star Online, 4/6/2013, Foreign worker brutally stabbed to death in Kepong)
The Malaysian police response seem to be a 'crackdown' on migrants from Burma (Myanmmar) resulting in over 1,000 arrests according to Kuala Lumpur’s deputy police chief, Sr Asst Comr Datuk Amar Singh (The Irrawady, 6/6/2013, Malaysia Detains Hundreds of Burmese after Reports of Killings) From the reports I have perused, it is really unclear as to who is responsible for the violence and the killing. Was it local Malaysians, or some foreign gangs? What is very wrong is the large number of suspects being arrested - over 1,000?
What is also most disturbing is the 'differences' in the police response? How many people were arrested in connection to the brutal stabbing of the Indonesian? How many suspects are generally arrested in connection with any murder/violence?
Police cannot simply arrest large numbers of people just because the suspects were identified as being of a particular nationality, or spoke a particular language? We recall the mass arrest of Indonesians in the late 90s when a policeman was killed, and a witness said they sounded Indonesian.
Suspects should only be arrested if there is some evidence that makes one a suspect. Of course for any investigation, police can call in and gather evidence from witnesses - but you never arrest witnesses.
Media fails to report on this - but we will not be blinded or irresponsible to this gross injustice.
Hope be that the politicians of Pakatan Rakyat would also not be perceived as being uncaring by reason that these victims of injustice are not citizens that can vote them in the next elections. The people wants people's representatives to be human persons that care who will uphold always the cause of justice and human rights for all human beings without fear or favour.
See earlier posting - More than 1,000 Burmese migrant workers arrested by Malaysian police - this is very wrong.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment