The “challenge accepted” post shared by thousands of Malaysians in support of the police officer.
KOTA KINABALU: Netizens all over Malaysia yesterday came together in solidarity to support a police officer who was videotaped caning several youths for allegedly violating Movement Control Order (MCO) in Kunak recently.
In a “challenge accepted” status posted on Facebook by thousands of Malaysians, they requested the PDRM to give the police officer a recognition for his strict action instead of taking disciplinary action against him.
Yesterday, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jass was reported as saying that disciplinary action would be taken against the particular officer although he had no intention of hurting the boys.
Zaini said the actions were not in line with the PDRM standard operating procedure and could bring a negative image to the police force.
The 27-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 (MCO).
Many have also called on, but not to take action against the officer involved as they believed he was acting on parental instincts.
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 laugh 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 officer let them off only with a warning and not taken to the police lockup for more severe punishments for violating the MCO,” said Zaini.