IGP, be a man and say sorry
Mar 26, 2016 4:00 PM
Six years ago on April, 2010, when a 15-year old boy was mistakenly shot dead in a car by the police after a speed-chase, it was front-paged and the fear in every parent then was that their teenage child on a joyride could be the next victim.
Due to him being a minor, Aminulrasyid Amzah was not even named in some of the media reports the day after, and the then Selangor police chief (and now the Inspector-General of Police) Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar held a press conference explaining how the car had suspects who were trying to run over the police and they had even found a parang in the boot.
Aminulrasyid’s family, from that very night of the incident itself, insisted that he was just a panicked teenager who was on a joyride and being maligned by the police.
During the trial of the police officer Corporal Jenain Subi and four others, a police officer told the High Court that he found 22 bullet holes, including one at the rear window of the car driven by Aminulrasyid.
The New Straits Times then reported it here:
“Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the policemen were on patrol in two cars when they spotted two men behaving suspiciously inside a car at Section 14 here.
They signalled for the driver to pull over for inspection.
However, the driver sped off, forcing the policemen to give chase in their vehicles.
After beating several red lights, the patrol cars managed to corner the suspects' car.
"A male passenger jumped out and escaped on foot while the driver reversed his car and tried to run over the policemen, forcing them to open fire," Khalid said yesterday.
He said one of the policemen fired four shots at the tyres of the car but one of the bullets is believed to have hit the boy, killing him instantly. Police found a parang inside the car which is believed to have been used in robberies.
"I deeply regret and am saddened with what had happened.
"I have appointed an officer from the Selangor police headquarters contingent to conduct a thorough investigation. We will also investigate why the suspects tried to escape when stopped by the police."
Now, years later, Aminulrasyid’s name has been finally cleared.
The Shah Alam High Court last Thursday awarded more than RM400,000 in damages to the family of shooting victim Aminulrasyid for their pain and suffering.
The court found that the police shooting at Aminulrasyid was in breach of the Inspector General Standing Order which says the police can only shoot if police's live or public lives are in danger.
The parang the police mentioned was never found.
Yet, despite an innocent life lost and the name of a family having been dragged through mud for years due to the statements issued by Khalid then, it is disheartening to note that Khalid has refused to issue an apology for the mistake his men did that night.
Further, the High Court has found Khalid guilty of misfeasance of public duty for coming up with story about Aminulrasyid "reversing" his car to ram into policemen as an attempt to justify the unlawful shooting of the police.
There was no such evidence of such action by Aminulrasyid because he was shot in the head and died almost instantaneously
Khalid has arrogantly stated that he will not apologise.
He was reported to have said, “ "Why should I apologise? I will not apologise. Everyone wants me to resign. But they are not my boss.”
Now Khalid, what if it was your teenage son? And do you not have an iota of regret in your heart for that mistake your men made in shooting down a 15-year old boy and over you having made those statements which have caused years of sleepless nights for the family?
So, stop being defensive at the wrong place and be a man. Admit your mistakes and apologise, for PDRM must not forget that the real boss is the public.
Six years ago on April, 2010, when a 15-year old boy was mistakenly shot dead in a car by the police after a speed-chase, it was front-paged and the fear in every parent then was that their teenage child on a joyride could be the next victim.
Due to him being a minor, Aminulrasyid Amzah was not even named in some of the media reports the day after, and the then Selangor police chief (and now the Inspector-General of Police) Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar held a press conference explaining how the car had suspects who were trying to run over the police and they had even found a parang in the boot.
Aminulrasyid’s family, from that very night of the incident itself, insisted that he was just a panicked teenager who was on a joyride and being maligned by the police.
During the trial of the police officer Corporal Jenain Subi and four others, a police officer told the High Court that he found 22 bullet holes, including one at the rear window of the car driven by Aminulrasyid.
The New Straits Times then reported it here:
“Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the policemen were on patrol in two cars when they spotted two men behaving suspiciously inside a car at Section 14 here.
They signalled for the driver to pull over for inspection.
However, the driver sped off, forcing the policemen to give chase in their vehicles.
After beating several red lights, the patrol cars managed to corner the suspects' car.
"A male passenger jumped out and escaped on foot while the driver reversed his car and tried to run over the policemen, forcing them to open fire," Khalid said yesterday.
He said one of the policemen fired four shots at the tyres of the car but one of the bullets is believed to have hit the boy, killing him instantly. Police found a parang inside the car which is believed to have been used in robberies.
"I deeply regret and am saddened with what had happened.
"I have appointed an officer from the Selangor police headquarters contingent to conduct a thorough investigation. We will also investigate why the suspects tried to escape when stopped by the police."
Now, years later, Aminulrasyid’s name has been finally cleared.
The Shah Alam High Court last Thursday awarded more than RM400,000 in damages to the family of shooting victim Aminulrasyid for their pain and suffering.
The court found that the police shooting at Aminulrasyid was in breach of the Inspector General Standing Order which says the police can only shoot if police's live or public lives are in danger.
The parang the police mentioned was never found.
Yet, despite an innocent life lost and the name of a family having been dragged through mud for years due to the statements issued by Khalid then, it is disheartening to note that Khalid has refused to issue an apology for the mistake his men did that night.
Further, the High Court has found Khalid guilty of misfeasance of public duty for coming up with story about Aminulrasyid "reversing" his car to ram into policemen as an attempt to justify the unlawful shooting of the police.
There was no such evidence of such action by Aminulrasyid because he was shot in the head and died almost instantaneously
Khalid has arrogantly stated that he will not apologise.
He was reported to have said, “ "Why should I apologise? I will not apologise. Everyone wants me to resign. But they are not my boss.”
Now Khalid, what if it was your teenage son? And do you not have an iota of regret in your heart for that mistake your men made in shooting down a 15-year old boy and over you having made those statements which have caused years of sleepless nights for the family?
So, stop being defensive at the wrong place and be a man. Admit your mistakes and apologise, for PDRM must not forget that the real boss is the public.
http://www.theheatmalaysia.com/Main/IGP-be-a-man-and-say-sorry
