Family of slain 15-year old to lodge report against police on Sat

Siva - Shamil would have turned 16 on Sunday

Malaysia Chronicle

The family of a 15-year old Selangor boy shot dead along with two other youths will lodge a complaint against the police on Saturday in a bid to press Prime Minister Najib Razak into taking action against rising brutality in the Malaysian police force.

“Shamil would have turned 16 this Sunday but his life has been prematurely snuffed out. Malaysians must help his family to find out what really happened. We all need to do this for the sake of justice and also protect ourselves,” MP for Subang Sivarasa Rasiah told Malaysia Chronicle.

"It could happen to any of us or our loved ones if we do not do something now to stop the police from killing under the guise of taking action or acting in self-defense. Suspicious deaths have been occurring too frequently and the Najib administration owes us all an explanation. We hope the PM will not help the police cover up instead."

Were they really seasoned criminals

Sivarasa will be accompanying the family of Shamil Hafiz Shafie, 16, to the police depot at Section 8 in Petaling Jaya at 11am to lodge the complaint. Civil rights group Lawyers for Liberty will also be present.

Last week, Shamil and two other youths Mohd Khairul Nizam Tuah, 20, and Mohd Hanafi Omar, 22, were shot dead after they allegedly charged at the police with machetes. The police also alleged that the three youths were “seasoned criminals” and part of the notorious Geng Minyak – a group of robbers who prey on petrol kiosks.

“It should be noted that international policing norms require that firearms only be discharged to protect life and that clear warnings be given with adequate time to comply. Are these rules being observed and complied with by the Malaysian police force?” asked Lawyers for Liberty.

“We note that there is disturbing similarity in the justification given out by police after almost every fatal police shooting in recent memory. In almost all cases, police claim that the suspects fled and police gave chase. The suspects then attacked police and the police opened fire killing all instantly. No suspect in such situations ever seems to survive. Subsequent to the shooting police claim to have discovered weapons in their vehicle and accuse the dead of being involved in all sorts of crime. Of course, by then none of them can defend themselves.”

Royal probe

A recent case reflective of such police disrespect for human life was the recent shooting of 14-year old Aminulrasyid Amzah, whom they accused of being a parang wielding criminal. Last year, a 22-year old car theft suspect Kugan Ananthan was beaten to death while in police remand.

“We also note that the authorities continue to refuse to make public even the police guidelines on discharge of firearms. Why all this secrecy?” said Lawyers for Liberty.

“We call for an immediate independent investigation into this latest shooting, with the findings made public. We reiterate the call for a Royal Commission to investigate all police shootings over the past decade.”