Police Brutality? Cops Launch Probe Into Off-Duty Officer Slapping Incident
An unprovoked slap by a police officer is considered an abuse of power and potentially a criminal act.
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An incident involving an off-duty policeman who allegedly slapped a motorcyclist in the face has gone viral on social media, and a probe has been launched by Johor police to investigate the matter.
According to The Star, Johor Bahru acting OCPD Supt Azrol Anuar Nor said the incident is believed to have occurred at a petrol station in Taman Perling around 6.50pm on Sunday (11 January).
He added that the individual involved was identified as a police officer attached to the Johor Bahru North District Police Headquarters, and was on leave at the time of the incident.
“At present, no police report has been lodged. However, we have identified the victim involved and are tracking him to assist with the investigation,” Azrol said in a statement.
“The police assure that the investigation will be conducted in a transparent, fair and integrity-driven manner,” he added.
Earlier, a video posted on the Komuniti Johor Facebook page went viral, showing the policeman in plain clothes running towards a motorcyclist at a petrol station and pushing the bike before slapping the rider in the face. The motorcyclist was also carrying a female pillion.
At time of press, the cause or motive of the incident is yet to be determined.
Johor police chief says the officer was called from leave to assist in an operation
Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said despite the constable involved being on leave, based on records, he was called to perform his duties on the day of the incident to assist in an operation to eradicate mat rempit activities.
According to Berita Harian, Ab Rahaman said the cause is still under investigation, but the slap is believed to be a spontaneous act after the victim was said to have attempted an escape.
“Actually, a traffic operation was underway, which is the Ops Motosikal by the North Johor Bahru District Police Headquarters.
“At the time, the officer was stopping the vehicle, but the victim tried to run away, and that was probably what caused the incident,” Ab Rahaman said during a press conference.
He added that the first police report was lodged by the police after the video of the officer slapping the motorcyclist went viral on social media, before a police report by the victim himself was lodged on the night of the incident.
“We will complete the investigation under Section 323 of the Penal Code and then refer to the Bukit Aman Legal Department before referring to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office for further action,” Ab Rahaman said.
According to him, four individuals have been called to give statements, including witnesses and the officer involved in the incident.
Several additional witnesses will be also called to have their statements recorded while observing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the scene of the incident.
When asked if the officer is suspended from duty, Ab Rahaman said that he is still on duty, but not allowed to participate in operations.
“He is not suspended from duty and not under remand. Up to this point, the officer involved will carry out his duties as usual, but we cannot suspend him as we have not received orders to charge him in court.
“We have a process and rules to suspend a police officer from duty, usually when there is proven evidence for prosecution in court. However, the policeman, in his 20s, who began working with the Royal Malaysia Police in 2022, will not carry out operational duties until this investigation is completed,” he said.
Can a policeman slap you in the face for no reason?
In Malaysia, a police officer is not legally allowed to slap you. According to the law, the use of force is strictly limited to what is “necessary” to effect an arrest or prevent escape.
A slap in the face, especially if it is unprovoked or used as a form of intimidation, is considered an abuse of power and potentially a criminal act.
Section 15 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) states that force can only be used if a person “forcibly resists” or “attempts to evade” arrest. Even then, Section 19(1) stipulates that an arrested person “shall not be subjected to more restraint than is necessary to prevent his escape”.
Additionally, a slap can be classified as “voluntarily causing hurt” under Section 323 or “Assault” under Section 351 of the Penal Code. Police officers are not exempt from these laws if their actions fall outside their official duties.
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