Letter to Editor
THE Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) has called for a stop to the incitement of communal discord. “Inciting to cause public unrest” under the Sedition Act 1948 is a crime. But why have the law enforcers targeted the victims of this incitement and not the people inciting it?
The King had granted audience to the founder of KK Super Mart Datuk Seri KK Chai concerning this matter. The King is caring and concerned and there is no reason being His Majesty’s subjects if we ourselves are not concerned to see peace and harmony thrive in this country.
We are very concerned and disturbed over the lack of action by the police and over certain quarters capitalising the Allah inscription on socks issue for their own political or personal ends as their doing constitutes a serious threat to public security.
This issue which had stirred public alarm of race and religion in the country has put much fear into the spines of Malaysians.
The police have wide powers under the law to keep peace and to conduct investigation under many relevant laws, including powers in the Police Act 1967 and also under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Under the Police Act 1967 the cops are responsible for the maintenance of law and order, the preservation of the peace and security in Malaysia, the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension and prosecution of offenders and the collection of security intelligence.
They cannot keep a blind eye or a deaf ear when security of the country is under threat or when a crime is committed.
They have a responsibility to detect crimes and to gather intelligence information concerning security threat in the country.
If the police can say that they have no power to detect crime or to gather intelligence pertaining to a crime, then what is the use of the detectives employed in the Crime Investigation Department (CID)?
If it is a security matter, what is the point of having a Special Branch Department (SB) in the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM)?
Obvious security threat
The police should not be allowed to come with a lame excuse that they could not investigate a crime or to gather any information concerning security threat in the country when there is no police report lodged.
The Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) has empowered police officers to arrest without any warrant any sizable offence when a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information been received.
We would humbly say the law does not specify how the reasonable complaint or a credible information has to be made or received by the police before they could go the scene of crime to investigate a criminal offence.
The police could receive the information of a crime from what they read in social media posts, including Facebook and TikTok. Any police officer who knew of the complaint or information through the social media could then make an official report to comply with section 107 Criminal Procedure Code to facilitate further police action.
We regret that we have yet to hear of any public statement from the police or from the relevant authorities on what they are going to do with the suspected offenders who are continuously propagating hate and mis-information on the sock-gate issue.
We note that other NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and public individuals have expressed deep concern over the incitement by an UMNO youth leader who is politicising the Allah inscription on socks issue in his attempt to de-stabilise and usurp the UMNO leadership.
If this is his objective, we respectfully say he is acting in a seditious and anti-national manner as this is causing hate and disharmony among ordinary Malaysians.
It is no wonder that East Malaysia’s most influential activist Peter John Jaban of the Sarawak Association for People’s Aspiration (SAPA) have sternly told the Federal government that this is part of the reason why Sabahans and Sarawakians are no longer keen to be a part of Malaysia anymore.
Certainly, if Peninsular Malaysia implodes with race-religious instability and communal violence, this will strengthen the people of Sabah and Sarawak’s desire to seek real independence.
Ultimately, we are also very concerned that the recent fire-bombing incidents at three KK Super Mart outlets – including one in the Sarawak state capital of Kuching – if let checked, could lead to more serious consequences, ie another May 13 bloodshed. – April 5, 2024
This letter is originally a joint statement issued by the following six Borneo states activists: Parti Bumi Kenyalang president Voon Lee Shan; Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ) president Robert Pei; Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo chairman Kanul Gindol; Robert Saweng of Dayak Right Action Force (DRAF Sarawak); Sabah Defenders of Ancestral Land (MOPOT Sabah) president Atama Katama; and Borneo’s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) president Daniel John Jambun.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar Facebook
