JOHOR BARU, Sept 1 — Critics of preventive detention should stop being too “fanatical” over the rights of criminals, Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff has said, lending support to Putrajaya’s plan to table a fresh anti-crime legislation in Parliament next month.
The veteran crime buster said there is a clear conflict between the protection of human rights and national security, but stressed that the latter should take centre stage above all else.
“Security overrides all other consideration,” Mohd Mokhtar told The Malay Mail Online at an exclusive interview in his office here last week.
“There must be security to have human rights. Without security, how can you have human rights?
“So let’s be practical about the whole thing. Like (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) said, don’t be too fanatical about human rights,” he said.
With violent crimes on a sudden rise and suspicions linking the sudden spate of shootings to gangland turf wars and firearms smuggling, some in the government have appeared insistent on the need for the return of preventive detention as a vital aid to assist crime busters.
According to Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the police force had lost its bite in the recent repeal of laws like the Emergency Ordinance (EO) and the Internal Security Act, two highly criticised pieces of legislation that allowed for detention without trial.
The minister has also blamed the EO repeal for the sudden crime spike, saying in a recent interview on Utusan Malaysia that when the law was abolished, some 2,600 EO detainees were set free to re-join their hardcore followers and subordinates.
The total number of these ex-detainees and their groupies were estimated at a staggering 260,000 people.
Last week Ahmad Zahid announced that the draft of a new preventive law has been completed and is ready to be tabled in Parliament next month.
The Umno leader reportedly said that the new law would not emphasise on detaining criminals without putting them to trial but at the same time, would empower the police to help them battle crime effectively.
In response, opposition lawmakers told Ahmad Zahid to stop obsessing over the need for preventive law, and insisted that there are sufficient provisions in existing legislation to keep the country’s crime numbers down.
But Mohd Mokhtar reminded the critics that in their pursuit for the protection of human rights, they should acknowledge that victims of crime should have their rights protected as well.
“People who are very quick to allege things or to exploit issues concerning crime should rethink things for the good of the country.
“What right have you (criminals) to go and kill people, shoot people, rob and rape people? What right have you got?
“And when you get caught, you suddenly hide under the shield of human rights? What nonsense is this?” he said.
(Criminals) are parasites, rascals, morons. They are born to cause havoc… They are hiding under the rule of law… under groups that are too fanatical over human rights. — Mohd Mokhtar
The vocal police chief insisted that drastic laws like the EO are needed to keep criminals in check and appeared to agree with claims that its abolition had triggered the recent crime wave.
He lashed out at those who insisted on blaming the alleged inefficiencies in the police force, reminding the critics that “the police do not give birth to criminals”.
Following the alarming rise in shootings and gun violence, police launched a nationwide crackdown dubbed “Ops Cantas” recently, invoking an old law — Prevention of Crime Act 1959 — to crack down on suspected criminals.
To date, the on-going operation has resulted in the arrest of 4,777 suspected criminals.
But Mohd Mokhtar said despite the existence of this Act, its provisions do not provide for preventive detention.
He pointed out that despite permitting a remand period of up to 72 days, this is still subject to an order from the magistrate.
“What if the magistrate refuses to give the remand?” he said.
Mohd Mokhtar, however, also agreed to the need for check and balance in the laws to ensure that there would be no abuses in its use on suspected criminals.
“I am all for it. But the laws must be there to facilitate police work... not to frustrate,” he said.
He stressed on the importance of integrity in the police force, saying those who sport the signature blue of Malaysia’s crime busters should be proud of their duties and wear their uniform with pride.
“Policing is a noble profession. And you should have God with you. So… who are these criminals?
“They are parasites, rascals, morons. They are born to cause havoc. They are no better than us... they are hiding under the rule of law. They are hiding under groups that are too fanatical over human rights,” said Mohd Mokhtar.
