KUALA LUMPUR – Police should ensure their own safety first, above anything else, before trying to act against any violence at a crime scene, said Tan Sri Musa Hassan, especially if they are off duty, alone and unarmed.
Speaking to The Vibes, the former inspector-general of police weighed in on the supposed inaction of an inspector who witnessed a fight in Bangsar early Saturday morning that resulted in one death and another person being seriously injured.
“He was alone and off duty, so he must take care of his own life, too. If he had attempted to break up the fight, surely he, too, would have been assaulted.”
In such situations, Musa said, the best action would have been to call and wait for police backup.
On whether this is standard operating procedures for police, he said: “It depends on the situation. If there aren’t many involved in the fight, perhaps just two individuals, then the cop could have stepped in.
“But we know the fight was more like a riot, so it is a bit difficult to intervene. So, yes, in that particular case, he did the right thing, since he was unarmed and alone.”
Brickfields police chief Anuar Omar yesterday confirmed that the 27-year-old inspector at the murder scene in Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar, was off duty and did not carry any firearm during the incident.
Anuar said the officer was walking with his friend to their car after having dinner near the scene when he witnessed the fight.
“As he was about to report the incident, he realised that police vehicles had arrived at the scene and he went home.”
A Malaysian man, 26, was arrested in Selayang Baru, Batu Caves, yesterday to facilitate investigation into the case, while several other suspects remain at large.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has yet to respond to The Vibes’ query on the matter. – The Vibes, March 15, 2021
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