KUALA LUMPUR – An incident that saw Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) enforcement officers allegedly inflicting physical harm on an elderly man and his dogs has incited outrage among netizens and rights groups.
Speaking to The Vibes, Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) president Kalaivanan Ravichandran pointed out that cases of animal abuse by local authorities have been on the rise, with officers “acting violently” without regulation by superiors.
“Will the Veterinary Services Department and the local authorities continue to turn a blind eye to this concerning issue? Are they exempt from the Animal Welfare Act 2015 enshrined in our national laws?
“The standard operating procedure (SOP) for animal capture has long been available for reference. Has it been reviewed or are they (local authorities) not aware of the procedure’s existence?” he questioned.
He added that while a fine can be issued to dog owners in PJ who do not have a dog permit, the catching of the dogs should be done in a humane manner.
“There is no need for extreme cruelty to animals or their keepers,” he said.
He also said that the SOPs on the capture of unlicensed dogs are “sufficient” as a starting base for safe capture, noting that it would be better if procedures such as issuing notices are made part of the SOPs.
Checks by The Vibes on the SOPs established by the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry in 2014 for the culling of stray dogs show that officers are not required to issue notices prior to carrying out capture activities.
Meanwhile, civil rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia executive director Sevan Doraisamy suggested that the officers involved in the purported assault should be suspended immediately while investigations are conducted.
“There were several incidents recorded before this on the aggressiveness of MBPJ offices towards residents.
“This act should be stopped and MBPJ should come out with stern action against those taking the law into their own hands,” he told The Vibes, adding that such attitudes present a distasteful image of the city council.
Elderly victim lodges report
Over on social media, animal welfare organisation Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue took things a step further by sharing how its representative is lodging a police report on the altercation from a few days ago.
In a series of Facebook posts, the organisation said that it is currently filing a report at the PJ district police headquarters. It claimed that an eyewitness to the ruckus is also filing a similar report.
A source close to the matter told The Vibes that the 69-year-old victim is also at the station to meet his assigned investigating officer after previously lodging a police report at a police station at Jalan Klang Lama.
Commenting on the posts, many voiced their shock at the alleged abuse, hitting out at the officers for ostensibly having a “sadistic nature” and being devoid of respect for the man and his animals, while calling for action against the offending personnel.
Earlier today, The Vibes reported on how video clips of the apparent assault had gone viral after a resident of the area shared their harrowing recount of the incident, which happened in Jalan 18/17 Taman Kanagapuram.
According to the resident, the elderly man said the officers did not explain their intention and failed to present any official identification prior to their physical attacks on him, causing him to suffer a swollen jaw and cuts on his wrist.
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung also said MBPJ should thoroughly and transparently conduct its investigations on the incident and any potential code of conduct breach by enforcement personnel. – The Vibes, March 24, 2023
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