KENINGAU: Police will carry out a professional investigation into allegation of brutal assault on 23-year-old Ben Cheah here by a senior Prisons Department officer and wardens on April 29.
Keningau district police chief Superintendent Zahari Mohamad gave the assurance during a courtesy call by a delegation from Gerakan Sabah led by the party’s liaison chief, Datuk Gordon Leong, yesterday.
Gordon and his delegation had earlier visited Ben and his family here.
“We felt that such a visit to the district police chief was necessary, as we could feel Ben and his family members are distraught,” said Gordon.
He noted that the visit by Gerakan Sabah delegation was in response to a call by Gerakan Sabah Keningau Division chief Cleyrance Lee.
Also present during the visit were Gerakan Sabah Youth chief Chang Shui Kiong, its Limbanak branch chairman, Wong Choong Seng, Kong Yu Kiong and Cleyrance.
Gordon said Gerakan Sabah was appalled and sad that in this modern and civilized society, there are still those who preferred to take matters into their own hands.
“No one should take the law into their own hands or see themselves as above the law, more so for law enforcement officers who are supposed to protect the public,” he asserted.
He further stressed that the alleged assault involved a senior government official and such action must be viewed seriously as it is now the concern of the general public.
“If it is not addressed in the best manner, it can be misinterpreted negatively by the general public and worse still, exploited by the opposition parties for political mileage.
“It is exactly this type of uncalled for behavior that gives a bad name to the government and that Gerakan Sabah is confident that the relevant authorities would look into this matter seriously.
“As a concerned component political party of Barisan Nasional, we don’t want to see the image of the government being tarnished, thereby losing the confidence of the people. The government, whom the public look up to as their protector, should therefore not tolerate this type of brutal behaviour,” said Gordon.