The Malaysian Police Force has long been known for its lack

of integrity as well as its fondness to uphold prejudice in

Malaysia's multi-cultural society.

Such behaviour by the Malaysian Police might be acceptable

during the sixties and seventies, as other police forces
around the world were pretty much doing the very same things
too.

But while others have moved on, Malaysia's policemen are still
stuck in a time warp. And more disturbing is the fact that the
unilateral and discriminatory actions of the police in Malaysia
have become even more pronounced after the shocking results of
the March general elections.

The police recently stopped the JERIT-sponsored cyclists from

going about their peaceful activities and arrested some of them.
They were released later but the actions of the police again
reflected the general stance of the police throughout the country.

The police would, as standard procedure, proceed to apply the

most pressure possible on people who they regarded as sympathetic
towards minority interests or opposition politicians. Such actions
by the police include summary arrests, physical acts such as the
use of FRU personnel to grab, kick or punch participants and taking
people and locking them up in police cells. Afterwards the police
would announce that they would be "pressing charges".

On the other hand, people who gathered in the streets to support the
BN ruling administration were silently given the go-ahead or green
light by the police.

Recall the actions by the PP UMNO who marched in an unruly manner

in the centre of George Town shortly after the opposition took
power in Penang. They were shouting insults and carrying provocative
banners and blocking traffic for several hours and in an area with
heavy minority presence too. The police seemed to be very caring and
polite, even apologetic towards the marchers. Compare it to the actions
of the police with regard to other marches. To those who yearn for a fair
and just Malaysian society, it was totally and most pitifully disgusting.

Another glaring display of police discriminatory behavior is the

way they handled the street marches organised by PEWARIS recently.
The marches also passed through areas that were populated by minority
citizens and some of the marchers even tried to assault a woman from
the minority community and others were seen kicking the car belonging
to the woman. One could say that the actions were extremely provocative,
but no arrests were made and the police again appeared to be very
sympathetic towards the marchers.

The public now is fully aware that the police in Malaysia is not neutral
when it comes to doing its work keeping law and order. We are now living
in the twenty-first century and the police must shed its old image and
work hard to regain the trust of the public in Malaysia.

It is pointless for the government to gloat over the incidents that took
place in Mumbai, Bangkok or university campuses in America. The nation
instead must ensure that the police force exhibit thorough professionalism
and total neutrality when carrying out its duty.

It is sad to say that the police right now is more interested in pressing
their stand against civil rights activities and minority activists rather
than applying equal pressure against provocative and violent right-wing
extremists and the endless supply of violent criminals that are now busily
plying their trade across the length and breadth of the country.

The police force, if they continue to be unable to show neutrality and

professionalism, will in the end bring shame to the leaders of Malaysia.