By Stephen Ng
THE story of the beating of two bodyguards has been viralled in a number of chat groups. Some have taken it to the extreme to stoke religious and racial tension. The police should take action against the people behind such posts.
On the other hand, we have the other response: that the human rights of the bodyguards have been violated.
After Selangor chief police Arjunaidi Mohamed revealed that the ’employer’ in this case is a moneylender and a man behind illegal gambling, I think we have to look at the bigger picture.
Firstly, these are thugs. They do not practise human rights the way civil society views it. Therefore, whether it is the bodyguards or their own wives, force is often used to punish people at their whims and fancies.
There is no rule of law with this group of people, and human rights certainly do not exist in their definition of laws. They are a law to themselves.
So, the interpretation given to such an incident in the name of ‘human rights’ is a mismatch. When two rival groups of gangster clash, we do not talk about it as human rights; instead, we say it was an act of violence on other fellow human beings, or a street fight, in short!
We only talk about human rights when an unconvicted person is mishandled by the police or any enforcement authority. Even their rights have to be upheld in the prison, which is supposed to be part of the system to uphold the rules of civility.
It certainly was not a case of an employer and employee the way we like to look at it. Muslims who tried to use this incident to stoke racial and religious tension should instead ask themselves why the ‘bodyguards’ were willing to work for such a thug?
I am sure being his bodyguard, they would know that the one whom they address as ‘bosku‘ is involved in illegal activities. There are many other work opportunities out there which they can involve to earn a decent and honest living. Why did they choose to work for a thug instead?
Having said that, if they had not been brave enough, the police would not have arrested him, and later discovered that he was involved in illegal gambling and money lending activities.
Maybe someday, this same person could be involved in a number of other illegal activities. Or, he could get himself a datukship and flaunt around his title.
Of late, the police and the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have done a great job in handling the country’s sickness.
In tightening the noose on these vices, including those within the police force, it shows that police are doing the job that they are paid for by taxpayers’ money.
I think one person deserves to be respected for his courage to throw the law at these syndicates. I have written at great length about giving the current Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador our support.
He is one IGP who has done something out of the ordinary in order to deal with the cancer of our society. As the federal police chief, his decision to reshuffle the police force has to be respected, and no one, in fact, can override his decision as the IGP.
Tan Sri Hamid, we are with you! We want to let you know that we support your recent actions.
Together, let us clean up the mess in this country. – April 16, 2021
Stephen Ng is an ordinary Malaysian who speaks the voice of conscience to the nation since 2008. He is a media consultant and an author of over 10 books.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
