KUALA LUMPUR: Seputeh member of parliament Teresa Kok today has questioned whether the police have privileges and immunity, to the extent that they cannot be criticised.
"I would like to ask the deputy minister regarding a case involving a television news presenter.
"The news presenter, who recently shared his encounter with the rude conduct of a policeman was investigated by the police after his article over the incident was published by the New Straits Times.
"The act of investigating the complainant by the police is surprising.
"As the wakil rakyat (people representatives), we constantly face criticisms from the public.
"Do the police have immunity and special privileges that shield them from media and public criticism to the extent that the criticisms will be investigated even late at night?
"In this case, shouldn't the police investigate the policeman involved rather than the other way around," she asked when debating the Police (Amendment) Bill 2024.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah during his winding-up speech, however, did not address the question posed by Kok.
On March 19, the news presenter had his statement taken by the police, following a complaint made in a letter to the editor over the alleged rude conduct of a policeman on patrol.
The complainant showed up at the SS17 Subang Jaya police station at around 10.50pm as requested and left at 1.15am the next day.
In the letter published on Saturday, the presenter alleged that the incident took place last Tuesday when he was returning home after completing his midnight news programme.
One of the two policemen patrolling his residential area in Subang Jaya displayed unprofessional behaviour and was rude and arrogant during the inspection, he claimed.
On Sunday, Subang Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the two policemen from the motorcycle patrol unit (URB) involved during the inspection had performed their duties according to police guidelines.
He said both have of them had also lodged police reports over claims that were highlighted by the television presenter.