The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has said that he would not apologise to Aminulrasyhid Amzah’s family after the Shah Alam High Court found him liable for public misfeasance in the case of the slain 14-year-old teenager in Shah Alam in April 2010, claiming that his statement at the time was based on the facts of the case.
The Shah Alam High Court ordered the Inspector-General and the Police to pay RM414,000 as damages to Aminulrasyid’s family for the unjustified shooting and killing six years ago.
Khalid had said in a statement the day after Aminulrasyid was shot dead in a car chase with the police that a parang was found in the car.
The court found that this was an attempt by the IGP to justify the actions of the police officer who had fired at the 14-year-old.
Khalid said that he never said Aminulrasyid had used the parang, only that it had been found in the car he was driving.
“There is no issue of me having to apologise because I purportedly made that statement to protect my men.
“I am not acting arrogant. I based it on the facts on the case.
“I never said that he used the parang. I only said that the parang was found in the car.”
It is a sad that Khalid continues to defend the unjustified police shooting and killing of the 14-year-old Aminulrasyid in Shah Alam six years ago, as it is a poor reflection on police professionalism of top police officers like Khalid and a slur on their duties to uphold the law and order – which must mean that they will not themselves break the laws of the land.
Nobody doubts that Khalid committed the public misfeasance to protect his men, but this is what he should not do. He must set an example to all police officers that while the police leadership will back up to the hilt police personnel who carry out their duties to uphold law and order, they should not expect indulgence or impunity if they break the law in the discharge of their duties – as in the unjustified shooting and killing of 14-year-old Aminulrasyid in Shah Alam six years ago.
In fact, it is not only IGP Khalid, but Home Minister Datuk Seri Zaid Hamidi and former Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein who should tender apology for the unjustified police shooting and killing of 14-year-old Aminulrasyid Amzah in Shah Alam in April 2010.