Marked by dignity
HUMAN rights and other legal norms require that suspects or indeed anyone in any brush with the law are treated with respect. That did not happen when the foreign women rounded up for allegedly working illegally at a karaoke lounge in Penang last week were "branded" with an "X" on their bodies, ostensibly to keep an eye on them so they do not slip away. Strictly speaking, the reverse should have been the case if the officers were mindful of the rights of these individuals, whose identities should have been protected in the event that they are, ultimately, found not guilty. This is a fair expectation, especially given that the suspects were apprehended outside the offending premises in a public place.
That investigations are ongoing and the officers alleged to have been involved in the incident are deskbound demonstrate that the police regard the perpetration of such indignities seriously. Obviously, the superiors are of the position that no excuses are acceptable when procedures -- which have been established due to the frequency of anti-vice or related operations involving gaggles of foreigners -- are ignored. Should the officers be found to have crossed the line, a commensurate punishment would be one that deters repetition by their colleagues. Of course, it is agreed that runaway suspects make for unnecessary difficulties. But the onus is on the police to overcome them without resort to brutalising measures. In carrying out their duty, no matter how onerous, unwarrantable short-cuts must be avoided. After all, is it not true that when procedures are not adhered to, an arrest can be contested?
Wayward police action, however, should not detract from the growing problem of women being trafficked for immoral purposes. Although laws have been amended, not enough appears to have been done to hold employers of illegal labour to account with a punishment so heavy that only criminal elements among them are willing to take the risk. These furtive workers tend to be exploited, which means taking a hard line against their bosses is a way of protecting the vulnerable. When the business has to do with the exploitation of women, then upholding the law becomes even more pressing. When the law is broken, it is only right that enforcement steps in and raids ensue. However, only professionalism and the highest standards should determine how these operations are carried out. Even when there exists a feeling that society's decency is being challenged, the integrity of the operation must be maintained and an integral part of that is the principle of innocence until proven guilty.
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