KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Continuing his defence of a controversial “shoot first” suggestion for the police, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said there was no requirement for law enforcement officials to fire warning shots when dealing with suspected gang members.
In an interview with news channel IMR.tv yesterday, the home minister explained that doing so would be counterproductive to the police’s efforts in “eliminating” such criminals.
“There is nothing in police procedures that says they must first fire warning shots. First, the gangsters might escape if they are unarmed, and secondly, police would die if the gangsters are armed,” Ahmad Zahid said in portions of the interview uploaded to the Internet.
In it, he also appeared to deny that his suggestion for police to “shoot first” should be regarded as policy when the force confronted gang members, saying the choice of approach was entirely up to the heads of police.
“I only said gangsters must be eliminated; it is up to the Inspector-General of police, the state police chiefs, the CID director how they go about doing so,” Ahmad Zahid said.
“As long as this is according to procedure.”
Last Saturday, Ahmad Zahid reportedly advocated a “shoot first” policy for the police when dealing with suspected gang members in the wake of a violent crime spree that has resulted in Malays purportedly making up the majority of the victims.
“I think the best way is that we no longer compromise with them. There is no need to give them any more warning. If (we) get the evidence, (we) shoot first,” he was quoted as saying by news portal Malaysiakini based on a recording from a security forum in Malacca.
On Tuesday, Ahmad Zahid took to Twitter in an apparent defence of the remark, slamming his critics for failing to consider the rights of police officers and victims of crime, especially those killed.
“Mana hak asasi utk Polis dan mangsa rompak, tembak dan bunuh. Kenapa pejuang hak asasi tidakpun membela? Hak asasi hanya utk penjenayah?” he tweeted in Malay.
[Translation: “Where are human rights for the police and victims of robbery, shooting and murder. Why are human rights activists not defending? Human rights only for criminals?”]
The “shoot first” remark has drawn a barrage of criticism from rights groups, lawyers, and lawmakers who accused Ahmad Zahid of, among others, sanctioning the unlawful use of deadly force by the police when dealing with suspected criminals.
One lawmaker also said the home minister’s remarks have put previous police shootings under suspicion, and urged for all such cases to be reopened.
Others have called for Ahmad Zahid to be sacked as home minister as well as arrested for instigating the police to commit murder.
