Disciplinary action will be taken against officer – CP

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KOTA KINABALU: A police officer who was videotaped whipping several youths for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Kunak, will have disciplinary action taken against him, said Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jass.

Zaini said although the officer had no intention of hurting the boys, police deemed the actions were not in line with the Royal Malaysian Police standard operating procedures and could bring a negative image to the police force.

“The officer’s intention may have been right but the way it was executed was not and we will take action against the said officer,” said Zaini in a press conference at the Kepayan police headquarters yesterday.

The 26-second video went viral in social media on Thursday (April 2) showing a police officer canning the youths with what looked like a twig, after the boys laughed upon being told not to wander outside but to stay home during the movement control order.

However, various comments from the public saw the action taken by the officer was appropriate to ensure the MCO is being observed.

Many have also called on the police not to take action against the officer involved as they believed he was acting on a parent’s instinct.

Zaini said the teens were not arrested despite being warned to go home a few times and were allowed to leave after the caning.

“The teens continued to loiter, smoke and laughed when they were told a few times to leave and that was why the officer used a more drastic action to get them to listen.

“They (teens) were lucky the officers let them off only with a warning and not taken to police lockup for more severe punishments for violating the MCO,” said Zaini.