Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek SAMA) and ENGAGE stand in solidarity with the Police amidst the shock felt by Malaysians after the Jemaah Islamiah’s terrorist attack on the Ulu Tiram police station on early morning of May 17 (Friday).
We express our deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of national heroes, Constable Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24, and Constable Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar, 22, who were killed on duty in defending law and order. While nothing can be done to compensate the families’ loss, we hope at least any of their financial need would be adequately taken care of.
We also wish speedy recovery for Corporal Mohd Hasif Roslan, 38, who was injured in the attack.
Projek SAMA and ENGAGE urge all Malaysians to support the Police in eliminating terrorism and use and threat of violence in general. Citizens should report to the authorities when anyone threatens to kill or cause harms or glorifies killing and harming others, whether it is related to 3Rs (Race, Religion, and Royalty), in pursuit of commercial interests or even just due to personal enmity.
In honour of the late Constable Muhamad Syafiq and Constable Ahmad Azza, we must make Malaysia safe from terrorism with unwavering determination. Both the authorities and society at large must make clear that there is zero tolerance for violence.
Otherwise, this may result in a ‘broken window’ effect in criminal studies. If many windows are broken in a neighbourhood, it sends a message that law and order has broken down and more vandalism might be committed because there would be no consequence.
Projek SAMA and ENGAGE are concerned that if the use or threat of violence would gradually be normalised due to perceive absence of consequences on perpetrators by the authorities.
Just five months into 2024, before the horrifying Ulu Tiram attack, the country has been hit with eight cases of shocking attacks:
Five Molotov cocktail attacks on :
- on the home of Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham (January 10), https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/01/999356/fire-ngeh-koo-hams-home
- on a KK Super Mart outlet in Bidor (March 26), https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/27/molotov-cocktail-thrown-at-kk-super-mart-sparks-probe
- on a KK Super Mart art outlet in Kuantan (March 30), https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/701153
- on a KK Super Mart art outlet in Kuching (March 31), https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/04/01/petrol-bomb-thrown-at-kk-mart-in-kuching/ and
- on a pub in Kuala Lumpur city centre (May 9) https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/05/11/kl-cops-say-two-more-held-over-petrol-bomb-attack-on-entertainment-outlet-at-jalan-yap-kwan-seng/133766;
and
Three curiously sequential attacks on national footballers:
- Assault in robbery on Akhyar Rashid (May 2) https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/05/03/terengganu-fc-winger-akhyar-rashid-injured-in-robbery/
- acid attack causing fourth-degree burns on Faisal Halim (May 5) https://www.channelnewsasia.com/malaysia-acid-attack-footballer-fourth-degree-burns-4318401; and
- car windscreen smashing on Safiq Rahim (May 7) https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysian-footballer-attacked-third-player-johor-jdt-hammer-acid-attack-4320521.
On those attacks using Molotov cocktail, a standard low-cost method used by lone-wolf and self-radicalised terrorists, we call upon the Police and the Attorney General’s Chambers to heed the call by Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau for the Molotov cocktail terrorists to be investigated and charged under Section 130B of the Penal Code for committing an act of terrorism, which carries a jail term of seven to 30 years for non-fatal cases under Section 130C, instead of the less-serious-sounding Section 435 “mischief by fire” which carries only a maximum jail term of 14 years.
To use Section 130B is not to cause unnecessary alarms but instead to send a clear and strong message that Malaysia will be safe from terrorism because it would not be tolerated in any pretext.
Notably, the section defines terrorism not by political motivation, but by the damage it causes: “an act or threat of action… if it (a) involves serious bodily injury to a person, (b) endangers a person’s life, (c) causes a person’s death, (d) creates a serious risk to the health or the safety of the public or a section of the public; (e) involves serious damage to property; (f) involves the use of firearms, explosives or other lethal devices;…”.
We remain puzzled if all CCTVs surrounding all the three KK Marts were all mysteriously dysfunctional during those attacks, thus preventing any identification and arrest of suspects.
On those attacks on footballers, we must make sure violence has no place in sport, whether driven by bookies operations or fan hooliganism.
We call upon the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Security chaired by YB Datuk Jonathan Yassin to conduct hearings on these cases so that the public can be assured that the Police will get all the support they need to nip terrorism in the bud.
Malaysians would only be safe if all the criminals in all the nine cases mentioned above are caught, charged and convicted in the court of law.
Jointly issued by:
Projek SAMA
ENGAGE
