Malaysians are shocked and revolted by the cold-blooded killing of two police inspectors, L/Kpl K. Jayabalan from the Gombak police and detective L/Kpl M. Alagesan from the city police headquarters during a drug bust in Sungai Buloh on Thursday night and the killers must be hunted down and brought to justice.
Deepest condolences to the families of the two cops who died in the course of duty. It is both an outrage and tragedy that their families will be grieving instead of having a Deepavali celebration in a fortnight’s time.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Internal Security Minister, said the deaths of the two police officers during the drug raid could have been avoided if the police had adopted a proper strategy and followed procedures.
The avoidable death of two police officers cannot be taken lightly, and if the Prime Minister is right, then there should be a full inquiry as to why the correct strategy and procedures had not been followed and who were responsible for such negligence resulting in the unnecessary sacrificing of two cops.
Parliament and the nation are entitled to know what lessons are being learnt if the deaths of the two police inspectors were the cause of avoidable negligence and sloppiness on the part of the police in carrying out a drug bust — and what measures the government and the police are taking to help the two bereaved families who are afflicted with the irreplaceable losses.
The Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan blamed the two deaths on the police not having enough bullet-proof vests for his men during special operations and patrols and that that he would be requesting an allocation from the government to buy more bullet-proof vests for the police.
If Musa is right, then this is another outrage where the lives and safety of police are unnecessarily exposed to danger because of not enough bullet-proof vests for police carrying out high-risk duties while the government, including the police force itself, squanders astronomical sums of public funds every year not only for non-essential purposes, but through corruption, criminal breach of trust and a litany of malpractices.
So they can invest millions on laptops and high-tech gadgetry to assist the police, but overlooked essentials like the policeman’s safety?
What an administration.
deepest condolences to two cops family.
It feel great to know that in present times, there are REAL dedicated police personnel in the force who are ACTUALLY doing their duty to protect our nation. It is also with great sadness to read that they die defending us from enemies, both local and foreign.
However, on further reading of the incident as reported in the newspapers, I personally can’t help but find it both unbelievable and suspicious that these guys went in there without any proper strategy and non-compliance of procedures.
To quote, “…..the deaths of the two police officers during the drug raid could have been avoided if the police had adopted a proper strategy and followed procedures.”
What is this? Aren’t ALL police personnel supposed to follow stringent procedures when it come to carrying out any raids? Aside from the Malaysia football team, everyone know that it is good common sense that strategy has to be devised and follow upon before any raids and/or operations.
So to come out with that quote (as above), i really find something is not quite right as to how the operation/raid was planned and implemented in the first place. Somebody please check, are these guys the real McCoys (policemen) or were they Rela guys masquerading in police personnel uniforms?
Or were they the real McCoys after all but they was there not as a raiding party but rather as someone with information as to the true going-ons in the house and was hoping to get some kick-back for keeping their mouth shut and eyes closed to the going-ons there?
Who are these guys superiors? Are they aware of the raid/operation in the first place? Was it discussed and planned throughly in the first place? For such a simple raid which i am sure the police had done many many times before, there are still so many questions left answered. To blame the non-existence of bullet proof vests is such a pathetic reasoning for the death. Does this implies that with the bullet proof vests, they are still going to go on future raids head on without any proper planning and compliance of procedures? It’s like providing shin guards to our footballers and still going out to do battle on the field without any proper plan or strategy. Or has the spirit of the kamikaze become a culture of the police force long after the Look East policy had died?
Someone please shed some light before I TRULY lose 100% confidence in our police force. I want to believe that they are still dedicated police personnel in the force still doing the right thing for us and the nation.
Violent crimes committed by criminals are getting more violent and rampant. We regret the loss of lives of police personnel in their course of duty, but the police has to take stock as to why such incident could have happened.
Why the criminals are getting more brave and daring? Is it because of the police own sloppiness and slipshot operations and attitudes? The police should think about their own follies. Crimes and criminals can never be cordoned but who is there to check them to stop them? The enforcers of laws.
Did someone tip the perpetrators off about the impending raid?
Yes, PM, IGP everybody wants a probe of how a raid could go awry resulting 2 policemen killed. Of course pending outcome of investigations, we don’t know the real answers.
In normal cases when a raid is being planned and conducted on a house in Kampung Desa Aman, Sungai Buloh believed to have been used by international drug syndicates as a laboratory for processing the drug, syabu, it is the occupants in the house who should be surprised by the raid. They should be surrounded with full firepower trained on them to ensure no escape and then loud-hailers are used to instruct them to come out before firing tear gas. This script – even Hollywood would write and rewrite!
There are two anomalies in this case.
The first is that the “raiding party†acting on a tip off was not wearing bullet-proof vests during the operation. They did not request for back up from other agencies. This raises the first question whether they had intended a raid or there were other motives for going there!
The second anomaly of this case, based on initial reports, is that it was the so called “raiding†party that was surprised by the criminals rather than the other way around!
According to initial reports by Bernama on October 26, 2007 16:01 PM : “During the raid on the house which was believed to have been used as a laboratory for processing the drug, syabu, Lance Corporal Jaya Balan Krishnan from the Gombak District Police Headquarters and Lance Corporal Alageson Malappan from the Kuala Lumpur Police CID were shot dead by several men IN TWO CARS WHICH HAD BLOCKED THEIR PATH†– see link here http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=292323
Bernama subsequent report October 26, 2007 17:00 PM was slightly different – it reported “The team comprising four plainclothed policemen was about to raid the house whose occupants were believed to be members of an international drug syndicate. Several men in two cars arrived outside the house and fired at the policemen before making their escape†see link : http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=292353
The slight nuance of difference between the first and second reports is that the first alludes to raiding party being blocked in their path by two cars, there’s report of 3 law enforcement agent officers being shot, 2 killed and none of the criminals killed, which simply means there was no exchange of fire, and only one way firing from the criminals at the police officers, suggesting a classic ambush. The so- called ambushers got ambushed instead!
Commenter Doggone is right to think it suggestive of the ambushers being tipped off of the coming police party. Where did they get the tip from and what does it imply?
International drug syndicates have lots of money. You mean they don’t keep their paid eyes and ears within the law enforcement agencies at all levels? One may launch large-scale operations involving all contingents throughout the country to hunt down the suspects but they going to be hunted down if they get the “inside” tips on where hunt would be carried out beforehand?
One can look and probe at procedures but if you want to face the truth look first at the angle of corruption, the mother of all ills in this country. One can’t really go that far wrong. We’re Malaysia Boleh!
I am sure many of us have seen enough cop movies to know that there is a possiblity that the dealers could be tipped off even by “insider” cops.
Maybe that is the real reason this team did not follow all the SOPs -they tried not to reveal their plans.
Sadly this bold plan did not work. Always bear in mind that truth is sometimes stranger then fiction.
http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2007/10/police-ambushed.html
The Police Chief sees too much TV and news and even then over what’s happening in Iraq and the U.S. Government failure to provide bullet proof vests at one time and other protective gear!
What cost the lives of these men were their poor training, I’m sure. The police in Malaysia is a joke- and has been so for a very long time! The Police Chief must take the blame for their deaths because the buck steps at his feet.
What bullet proof vests do they need? They are not fighting a conventional warfare with enemies in uniforms in some desert somewhere!? Over here in the U.S. and I hate to be comparing Malaysia to the U.S. all the time but there are serious lessons to be learned. Here only the SWAT team or some such special units have heavy protective gear and that is because of the huge risks they take. What killed these poor police officers were not the lack of any such gear or weapons but poor police training.
PDRM has not made the transitition from the ‘mata-mata’ that it was during colonial times to a crime fighting unit that it is called to be today. Those days the British merely wanted them to keep an eye on what was going in the Chinese community -hence the term ‘mata-mata’. Hence they employed mostly Malays to do the job. Some 50 years later as we all know the police force has not changed much – both in racial composition and role. The only difference is perhaps the extent corruption has permeated the ranks.
How much more lives will these poor families, wives and children have to lose before the police brass comes to their senses and take the necessary measures to train police personnel in real police work??
Into whose security is the Minister of Security looking?
What a horrible way to go for these officers…..the IGP should round up all his part time officers who prey and collect tolls from motorists and focus his limited resources on getting the real criminals before we become a Colombia….or have we become one already….
““If they come, we will be ready for them. We have been informed they are armed and dangerous,†he added.”
What kind of statement is this for an SAC to make?? Surely you do not expect “them to come?”. You do not expect them to storm Bkt. Aman do you?? You gotta go after them!
“Armed and dangerous”?? Sure, two of your officers have been killed. What do you call them? “Unarmed and may be dangerous”??
The use of a 9mm should put the police on notice that they are not dealing with ordinary criminals armed with old and sometimes malfunctioning .22 brought over the border and sold for RM500 a piece. You’re dealing with organized crime here!
Over the past few years, there have been flashing signs for all to see in Bolehland : CRIME PAYS.
From the day one lands at KLIA to find out that their luggage have been broken into, to be accosted by taxi touts, then to have their handbags snatched by thieves, or surrounded by mat rempits in the early hours of the morning, or solicited by illegal DVD traders, or pimps offering local and foreign fare, or drug pushers in posh nightclubs – one has to simply conclude that this is a third world country and unlikely to achieve first world status.
Visitors and residents alike will read about scandals after scandals, about crooked bridges, crooked cops and crooked judges, about our esteemed prosecution not being able to secure convictions.
Indeed, criminals are running rampant in Bolehland.
When you deal with violent criminals you use the only language that they can understand and that is violence. When the crime syndicates draw blood from the police it must to reciporated many times over to send the message to all the mafias that it is a mistake to tackle the police force. The modus operandi now should be shoot to KILL. When they do a drug raid they should just flatten the place and not take prisoners. Those caught are going to be hanged anyway.
So it has been proved beyond doubt that is is much safer to go after whistle-blowers and toll-protesters than to catch criminals. Expect your neighbourhood cop to duck and look the other way when he sees a crime being committed
2 police officers died and the criminal escape? since the PM said that the tragedy can be avoided if proper method applied..therefore will the supervisor of the 2 policeman in a deep trouble now? why the news never mention about it? it just said that 2 policeman died during a raiding operation..is that the end of the story?
The BN government has no money to buy bullet-proof vests for our police force that carry out dangerous duties, but they can spend billlons on mega-projects bailouts and send someone to the space for fun. What kind of Prime Minister cum Internal Security Minister is this? Do we still need this useless Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?
Vote For ANY Opposition!!! Let us punish this corrupt BN government!!
I don’t think it is fair to ridicule the police for these men were not cowards but died in the course of their duties trying to uphold the law.
Society has failed them and there is more blame to be placed on our MPs for not making sure that they are properly equipped and trained.
“Society has failed them ….” HJ Angus
How so??
We will never learn! When crisis happens, everyone jumps and nothing much done after that. When will we ever learn! Our PM and Home Minister criticised, not knowing that he’s responsible – looking for scape goats. His head should be on the chopping block first if there’s any. A position comes with responsibility and accountability. Really sad to know we have such a leader. Sob, sob, sob!!!
Deepest Condolences.
Was it really cold blooded killing? The drug dealers too will be gunned down if they were to act sissy. Dont think the policemen will be lenient with them during any drug raids. It was the heat of the moment. And now it has been reports that the raid wasnt authorised.
With so much money spent on One Stupid Spaceman, we have to again sacrifice on something else like for eg bullet-proof vests.
Not only the spaceman and the 2 submarines that would supply all the cops with a bullet-proof vest but also in the AG’s report there was millions spent on police helicopters that did not meet specs and subsequent training; presumably in some foreign country.
What happened to those 2 helicopters? Disposed cheaply to some big shot or being used as a ferry for our so-called leaders?
Read the facts about syabu here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine
The 4 policemen were ambushed. The assailants were likely tipped off by insiders. The problem is corruption. That is the root. Acquiring another 2000 bullet-proof vests for police will not ameliorate this problem. Maybe it is a reflection of it for somebody is again going to make money out of buying these 2000 bullet-proof vests. We’re going round and round and blaming this and that except the real malaise.
Jeffrey: Agree absolutely. If there is such a thing as an “unauthorised” raid by the police force, then I suggest that authorisation is not meant for the safety of those conducting the raid, but to protect those that are raided.
After all, this is our Malaysia Boleh spirit.
The PM’s offer of police protection for whistle blowers must ring hollow after this incident.
http://malaysiawatch3.blogspot.com/2007/10/police-cannot-protect-their-own.html
26/10: Malaysia’s PM seems to be failing his people at every chance
by Michael Backman
The Age
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/guests.php?itemid=9469
Even AAB knows people are whispering no longer that he is useless and hopeless, thanks to Tun M.
It’s refreshing and amazing that our PM knew about this incident and commented on it so quickly. He even knew what went wrong: “the deaths of the two police officers during the drug raid could have been avoided if the police had adopted a proper strategy and followed procedures”. Impressive!
Who said our PM is out of touch, sleepy, and mon-cha-cha?
my condolences to the family of the two police, they worked hard, and maybe a little out of procedures, we did that all the time in big corporations as long as its within limit and our bosses verbally concur, and get it ratified later. If they want to siasat the police for not followingprocedure, thats fine, but that will thwart good policemen/women efforts in the future
Even if the policemen are wearing bullet-proof vests, under this type of well planned ambush, they were destined to be killed.
The root cause is inside the police force. Find out who is drawing the government salary but working for the criminals. If this guy is not exposed, there will be more ambushes like this.
don’t you think that it’s a bit peculiar to have only 4 policemen in a drug raid. we see news “team of” policemen raided arcade, prostitute den, vcd factory, carrying automatic rifles, but 4 personnels for drug raid that potentially armed, and the policemen carrying only S/W ? 4 policemen in plain clothes. is this really a raid, or there’s something else behind …..
It does not take an inside knowledge of organized crime to know that it cannot function without the help of bad police officers in the police force.
If the raid involves a lab producing illicit drugs, rest assured that it is probably known before hand. No amount of protective gear is going to protect the police officers involved in the raid. No training is enough to ensure their safety.
Most likely, it is all about a turf war involving rival drug lords and those working to protect their interests from inside the anti-drug unit of Bukit Aman. The killing of these police officers could be a warning.
Speculations aside, statements by the PM are made in poor taste because the victims appear to be blamed for not following police procedures.
How sure are we that this is not a case of fragging or “friendly-fire”?
I believe that the Chinese community has got it right by its refusal to serve in the armed services.
case study :
u r the police force. ur boss is the kingpin. ur machai wanna go bust some drug dealers. what r u to do? protect ur boss’ interests?
Bullet vest is pretty unless when the bullet hits your head. I read all the comments here but I do not think anyone here have asked the real question. Why are there illegal firearms in a country where it has the strictest gun laws in the world? Not wanting to dive into the debate of the western gun laws, but Malaysia’s gunlaws are very strict. You get the death penalty for illegal firearms. So, why are there criminal walking around with firearms. As the average citizen, do you feel safe knowing that the police and customs have failed to protect you? How safe do you feel when you board public transport the next time and sit down next the someone who might be carrying an illegal firearm and have not problems of having a shoot out with the police, you sitting next to them or being a hostage ? We can talk about training, equipment, etc, etc but the main problem still remain, the various Govt agencies are not up to the job. Customs can’t control what is coming in or going out except for cars, fuel and what the average village idiot tries to smuggle out/in. Police are being out gunned in a country where private firearm ownership is rare and only to the well connected. How many have noticed that the banks in KL have security guards armed with pistols and pump-action shotguns now? They were a very rare sight 5 years ago. Very soon, our cops will be armed like Americas, tactical bullet vest, flash bangs, military assault rifles, 2 pistols……
A lecture was once given by a senior PDRM – This is not America, this is Malaysia. True, but our cops getting to be more like Americans in Malaysia, does this means that the crime in Malaysia is getting worst ?
“…Malaysia’s gunlaws are very strict. You get the death penalty for illegal firearms. So, why are there criminal walking around with firearms.” lupus
Criminals in Malaysia are walking around with firearms because they can – and they need firearms to defend themselves against other criminals and, of course, the police some of whom may be on the side of other criminals when not on the right side of the law.
Malaysia’s law regarding the possession and use of firearms have never allowed ‘ordinary’ Malaysians to have them if only to defend their lives and their properties. ‘Extraordinary’ Malaysians with connections to the police, those in business and those with public interest to protect and those politically connected and those with connections to the royals are allowed to possess firearms – including the criminally inclined.
No one can blame the Brits for putting in force the same gun laws they had back home where they were forced to fight home grown terrorists. Since then we’ve been ‘stuck’ with the same laws regarding the possession and use of firearms.
Has the death penalty for drug dealing meant there are less drug dealers in Malaysia? Hanging a few drug users from time to time does not do anything for the image of Malaysia. Malaysia continues to be a haven for international drug dealers and syndicates. Similarly, the death penalty for illegal possession of firearms in Malaysia does not appear to provide the deterrence needed. There has been no known studies regarding the correlationship between the banning of firearms and the crime rate.
Is this a good enough reason to loosen somewhat Malaysia’s laws regarding possession and use of firearms; and allow the public to have (not to confuse with carrying them) small caliber non-automatic firearms in their homes to protect lives and properties in view of the rising crimes against properties? After all the police appears to be unable to put the lid on the rising number of crimes.
So the good old balancing act comes into play once again and it is never easy. But if there is ever a good argument allowing the loosening of Malaysia’s strict licensing laws regarding the possession and use of firearms, this is a good time to look at them.
Will it happen? I don’t think so.
undergrad 2 – I think you missed the point of my comments – it is not about the right to bear arms or even gun control. The comments were directed on the effective enforcement of the Malaysia firearms act which includes death for illegal firearms and that drug users have nothing to lose as it is also a death sentence for drugs.
Yes, you are right to comment on the fact that the police appear to be unable to control the rising number of crimes but detail information regarding Malaysian crime rate is still not clear. Yes, you are right about the fact that criminals are walking around with firearms because they can.
Is there correlationship between banning legal ownership of firearms and crime rate ? No, there is no data but if you read some of the overseas studies in western countries, not there none. If fact, in some western countries, it will show that it has not done anything to reduce illegal firearms because of the fact that criminals are not going to apply or buy a legal firearm in the first place.
However, the question is not about Malaysian firearms Act – it is about our police officers getting shot and killed. It about the Malaysian society getting violent whereby there is an increase of increasing firepower of both police and criminals. It about the fact that both police, private security guards, criminals and various govt agency will find it easier to pull out their firearms and have a shoot out in shopping centers, car parks and residential areas. It about the average Malaysian getting caught with increasing violent crime and it is only a matter of time before more innocent civilians are killing in the cross fire.
In regards to Malaysian strict laws regarding firearm ownership, yes, it is very strict but what is the point of having strict laws if the police is unable to enforce the law ? The problem then is not with the law but the Malaysian Police Force and Customs to prevent illegal firearms being brought into the country. It about the right of every Malaysian citizen to be safe and free protected. Not about the gun laws of Malaysia but about a Good Govt. that will focus on the problems of this country.
Well, it’s all about upbringing and what is left for Malaysian unique culture.
The positive part of this incident is Government can spent another RM150 million to upgrade the basic security needs for the Police.
There are way to much corruption going on in every possible agencies that invited cases like these.
What ever laws that the Government can come out with now, when an inidvidual have no self respect to others and have no love in their own life for others, these cases will grow.
What is the % of indian cops in the whole police force? 1%? What are the odds of 2 indian cops getting killed at the same time in the same raid? any mathematician out there? Just curious.
Just make sure that if the cost of a bullet proof vest is RM 1000, we should pay RM7000, RM6000 for insurance that the bullet proof vest is original and guaranteed to function….if we can buy insurance for screw drivers, we should do the same for life saving protective gear….Malaysia Boleh
Since we are on the topic of PDRM, can anyone enlightened me if the case involving the million dollar heist at the warehouse in Penang has been solved? I might have missed out reading bout it if police has indeed cracked the case. Or how about Nurin case? Seems not much news lately on it. How about the chopped up body parts murder case where the lady has been freed when initially police said they have solved the case?
“The problem then is not with the law but the Malaysian Police Force and Customs to prevent illegal firearms being brought into the country.” lupus
I cannot agree with you more – and I don’t think I’ve missed any point.
Do you know how easy it is to cross the Malaysian-Thai border uninspected. It is a lot easier than Mexicans crossing the U.S. border. No desert to cross. No fence to have to climb. No tunnels to have to dig. Just wade across a small stream or walk along a known jungle path – or just get on a train or a sampan. If everything fails then you can always bribe your way through. After all there is no law against looking the other way.
Automatic firearms like the 9mm are used by the Thai military. It does not take a rocket scientist to tell us the source of such firearms. Firearms in the border towns in southern Thailand can be bought openly and for as low as RM500.00.
It appears that Malaysians will just have to get used to seeing more armed robberies, more armed burglaries and more gang related murders and shoot-outs between law enforcement and the drug dealers etc because it is not an issue of law and order but a failure to enforce the laws, a failure to enforce our borders.
As for collateral damage, there will always be when laws are being enforced. Bystanders get killed all the time. The deaths of the two plainclothes policeman are a reminder that policing is a dangerous occupation; but law and enforcement officers are entitled to the best the country could offer them in the way of training, and protecting themselves. Protective gear for the police is just one aspect of it.
Just as there is a failure of leadership at the political level, there is a failure of leadership in our police force.
“How many have noticed that the banks in KL have security guards armed with pistols and pump-action shotguns now? They were a very rare sight 5 years ago.” lupus
You are insulting banks like the Chartered Bank and HSBC, banks which have been around for more than fifty years. They built their reputations based on the security they offer – and I’m not thinking of security against fraud. It is neither a distortion nor an exaggeration of the facts to say that these banks built their image based on the burly, bearded sikh holding his shotgun greeting you at the door.
number of points here undergrad2
[“You are insulting banks like the Chartered Bank and HSBC, banks which have been around for more than fifty years. They built their reputations based on the security they offer – and I’m not thinking of security against fraud. It is neither a distortion nor an exaggeration of the facts to say that these banks built their image based on the burly, bearded sikh holding his shotgun greeting you at the door.”] – the topic is not about banks and it longer just a shotgun like in the past. There are now a few armed security guards armed with pump shotguns AND pistols. Have you ever been to the local security guard training school ? I have and frankly, I am worried.
you have reinforced my point exactly with comments like
[“As for collateral damage, there will always be when laws are being enforced. Bystanders get killed all the time”.]
Some Malaysian have accepted that violence as part of everyday life.
[“because it is not an issue of law and order but a failure to enforce the laws, a failure to enforce our borders.”] – glad that you are agreeing with me. See my commment “The problem then is not with the law but the Malaysian Police Force and Customs to prevent illegal firearms being brought into the country” In case you are not sure, role of Customs is to prevent illegal stuff coming in and out of the country.
Do you know why drug dealers continue to use Bolehland as a major transit point for drugs ? Do you know why guns are still “available” despite the death penalty for possession ?
Simple. Everyone knows Bolehland’s justice system and prosecution can “kowtim”. Everyone knows evidence in police custody or prosecution custody can disappear into thin air. Only those who can’t afford to pay get hanged.
Instead of sending a tourist to space, they could have equiped our police personel with bulletproof vests, improve transportation system,eradicate poverty….etc Where are our priorities?
“One can look and probe but if you want to face the truth look first at the angle of corruption, the mother of all ills in the country.”Jeffrey.
Too right for how else can one explain the ambushers got ambushed!!
In this Bolehland anything one can ‘kowtim’ like what Godfather says and all institutions are rendered dysfunctional.