Arrest is not the game children of yesteryears played ― Hafiz Hassan

JULY 26 ― Arrest is not like in the game of “Police and Thieves” which children of yesteryears played.

Remember the game and the rhyme that goes with it?

“Police sentry/one, two, jaga/police mati/pencuri jaga”. Some say this is a bastardisation of “Police and thief/went to jungle/police catch thief/thief runs away.”

An arrest must be done in accordance with the law, which provides for the power to, grounds for, and manner of, arrest.

There was no arrest of Matt Healy of the British band The 1975 because he had left the country with the other band members in the early morning on Saturday (July 22), just six hours after the disrespectful antics on stage at the Good Vibes Festival 2023.

Before they left, there was no police report of the incident. The first police report was only received at 2pm on Saturday.

Healy could have been arrested like Ryan Bates, the US citizen who was arrested by the police for carrying three empty bullet casings in his bag at KLIA.

There was reasonable suspicion that Bates was concerned with the commission of a seizable offence ― that is, there was a ground for an arrest under the law.

Similarly, there was a lawful ground for the arrest of caretaker Kedah menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, albeit the arrest was at 3am. But was he handcuffed to embarrass him or to damage his credibility?

A report was lodged against Sanusi a day after the incident occurred, followed by another from a member of the Selangor Royal Council on July 14.

An investigation under the law ensued which could have led to a lawful arrest, and even remand, during investigation since Sanusi was concerned with a seizable offence and there was, at least, an incredible information for an arrest under Section 23(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

This is not the game of “Police and Thieves”.

Remember how a “thief” would have to be embraced to amount to a “catch” or arrest? This is perhaps the best part of the game.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.