Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:19:51 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Jul 21 2009 2:19 am
Subject: Now Teoh Beng Hock, Who’s next?
Before long, all will be forgotten...? :-(
Who’s next?
JULY 20 — In October 2006, a 28-year-old woman died in gruesome
fashion. She was either shot in cold blood, and then had her remains
detonated with plastics explosives, or perhaps the Special Action
Force policemen found guilty of the Mongolian beauty's murder skipped
the shooting part.
But one of the most overlooked tragedies of Altantuya Shariibuu's
death was that it shook the nation due to her alleged links with Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, instead of the fact that a young
woman with her whole life ahead of her was executed by the very men
who are charged with keeping the peace in this country.
In October 2006, so intrigued by the possibility of a top-ranking
politician being party to a murder, Malaysians did not ask, "Who's
next?"
This despite another high-profile death linked to the police force in
2004. On April 16 that year, Francis Udayappan, then 23, went missing
from police custody and was fished out of the Klang River a month
later, minus his head.
The suspected petty thief's mother was even denied the right to bury
her son as police claimed that the body was not Udayappan. Only years
later was she allowed to bury whatever remained of her son and even
then, with no one ever having to take responsibility for the death.
In April 2004, so intrigued by the possibility of a mother not being
able to bury her own son, barely a man when he died, Malaysians did
not ask, "Who's next?"
Earlier this year, it was suspected car thief A. Kugan, who died at
age 22 in police custody, a case that is still in the midst of
investigation to this day.
Again, after a person just out of his teens appeared to be beaten to
death by policemen, Malaysians did not ask, "Who's next?"
These are just the highlights of a rather long reel if one includes
those above the age of 30.
The death of 30-year-old Teoh Beng Hock is the latest, and perhaps
most stunning episode in the series so far. It may be due to the fact
that as a political secretary to a Selangor executive councillor, he
has an actual political office. Or perhaps that his death was not in
fact linked to the police, Malaysia's favourite boo-boys.
Instead, it is the hitherto "toothless" Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC), ironically set up by former Prime Minister Tun
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as part of a reform package to turn back the
tide of negative global perception towards the integrity of Malaysia.
But Teoh's death has further mired the nation in perceived
lawlessness.
It is a death easily politicised. But this is not a time for anyone to
be scoring points.
The young men and women listed above, and many others, seemed to have
died pointlessly. Even freshly-drafted privates gunned down before
they fire their first bullets are at least given the dubious honour of
being nameless "heroes".
These young departed are not heroes, no matter how many protests and
rallies are held in their names. They did not die in the name of any
great cause, which perhaps adds to the tragedy.
Those in authority should not now add to the tragedy by thinking in
terms of "damage control". The damage has already been done. So now
let's fix it.
It is a time for contrition. It is a time to say that enough is
enough.
It is a time to finally ask, "Who's next?"
For the sake of Malaysia and young lives not yet lost, let the answer
be "No one."
From: CKSF
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:26:22 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Wed, Jul 22 2009 8:26 am
Subject: Re: Now Teoh Beng Hock, Who’s next?
On Jul 21, 5:35 pm, Penang
> On Jul 20, 6:15 pm, CKSF
> > Just like hundreds before this case.
> > Where was the outrage when others before this case had died in
> > custody???
> It's okay, right?
> The outrage was misplaced, right?
No, the outrage is not misplaced, but shamefully selective.
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