There was an uneasy buzz in the country last Tuesday (July 9) after Malaysians were left dumbfounded following home minister Saifuddin Nasution’s “announcement” in Parliament that some police station “gates” nationwide will be closed after 10pm; apparently this was as a security measure following the deadly attack at the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor last May.
In the face of an unexpected backlash, he then clarified in a statement the next day that police reports could still be made even if the station gates were closed after 10pm; in fact he took pains to reiterate that only the “gates” were closed… not the whole “balai!”
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain then got into the act to help clear the air; he gave his assurance that police services would still proceed as usual, and the public could still make complaints and reports even if the “gates” were closed.
All these inevitably begged the question: did it all stem from a typical Malaysian-style communication mix-up? Or was it because of a reporting blunder? Or maybe a potent mixture of both?
Whatever it is, it seemed like damage had already been done with firebrand lawyer-activist Siti Kasim among the first to come out with guns blazing: “(Next) are we closing the entrance to hospitals at 10pm… if the emergency ward is attacked?” she asked.
While the government’s move may have some justification given the brutal attack on the Johor police station that tragically claimed the lives of two cops, it has certainly sparked a heated debate in the country.
Understandably, the most common reaction from the public was that the move to close the station gates early at 10pm smacked of a knee jerk reaction to protect and appease the police personnel - at the expense of the rakyat!
There were also concerns that the police were opting for an easy solution by wanting to protect themselves first, when in fact it was their sacred duty to be at the forefront to protect the public and to uphold law and order? After all, aren’t they adequately armed?
Fears were also expressed that although the police stations were technically still open 24/7 as was reassured by the IGP, what guarantee is there that the police personnel keeping watch at the main gates will remain alert especially if he/she is stationed alone there?
Meanwhile, some had also questioned: with an “unhealthy” precedent set, what happens if some stations are attacked at 2pm? Probably, the point that was being made was that there should be other ways to beef up security at police stations - not simply by closing the front gate!
However, since it was confirmed that only police stations at remote locations will be affected by the 10pm “close gate” policy, some may ask: what if you are near Desaru or Tasik Kenyir area after 10pm and are being pursued by robbers or abductors, and you drive like "crazy” to the nearest police station - only to find that the lone sentry on duty there has gone to the loo to do some “big” business?
Furthermore, wouldn’t the news of the early closing (even if it’s just the front gate of the station) send the wrong message to the world, especially tourists and investors, that our country is not safe! In fact, wouldn’t it also serve as a welcome “incentive” to potential criminals?
Nevertheless, the truth is some police stations, especially those in rural towns can be isolated with only one or two officers on duty; in which case it may make sense to keep the front gates locked after 10pm provided there are proper standard operating procedures in place to expeditiously attend to those who come seeking urgent help.
In hindsight, maybe it's not fair for Saifuddin to be solely blamed for this embarrassing communication mix-up; in fact, the media may also be partly guilty of adding to the mad confusion by not reporting the subject matter in full.
Moreover, he may have been merely answering a query posed by another MP in Parliament - and what he said may not have been intended to be a “public announcement” per se.
If that was the case, and since not all police stations will be affected, was it really necessary for it to be highlighted in Parliament in the first place - considering it was merely a tweak in the “internal” safety protocols at selected stations?
Come to think of it, wouldn’t a simple notice outside the “affected police stations” be sufficient to convey the message to the local public - instead of letting the whole world know about it?
Information source: The Edge and Focus Malaysia
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