My DUN's diary - 6.5.2008

Chieng Jen questioned the Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri George Chan, on the Government’s effort to ensure the equal treatment in entertaining police report from the public and high rank government officer. The question was posed to the government in this morning questionnaire sessions in Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) sitting.

In 25th March 2008, I had received a complaint from a Ling’s family at Tabuan Laru, Kuching that their house has been robbed in the very afternoon. They discovered the daylight robbery sometime at 2 pm. They called the police right after the discovery, but the reply given was that they have to go to the nearest police station to make a formal report, only by then the “Saya Anti Rasuah” team will send the man down to the scene for investigation. Ling’s family waited for an hour to complete the report making and waited for another few hours for the police to come. From the time they first discovered the crime until the arrival of the 2 investigating officers on the “welcoming red carpet” of the crime scene, it took 4-5 hours.

On 28th March 2008, similarly the BN Samariang Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri’s (ADUN) house was robbed. She needed just a phone call to summons the police to come. Not only pitiful 2 officers came, but a group of investigating officers, lots of high rank police officers including the State Commissioner of Police came, and even police dogs were there to facilitate the investigation.

Same treatment to George on the robbery of his house on last April fool day.

I wondering what kind of phone was used by Samariang ADUN and George. For them, one phone call was good enough for the police to come. For Ling’s family or public at large, we got to go through lots procedures including making police reports and recording statement. It can be simple, but for whatever reason it has been made complicated and became extremely time consuming.

The question posed by Chieng Jen this morning to George was not well answered. George on the other hand called for suggestions to solve this problem. To me, this is a problem of double standard practiced by the police force. Can’t state government directs the police to treat public equally as what has been rendered to him? What more suggestion needed by him?

Unfortunately I was sitting in the public gallery to hear this kind of answer.