Mixed reactions over CPO's updates on Facebook
Facebook seems to be all the rage among Malaysian politicians. Even S elangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar seems to have embraced this new media social networking tool when he posted updates on the status of an investigation.
Facebook seems to be all the rage among Malaysian politicians.
Even Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar seems to have embraced this new media social networking tool when he posted updates on the status of an investigation.
On Aug 3, former Permatang assemblyperson Abdul Aziz Mohd Noh and his personal assistant were found dead, both with gunshot wounds to their heads, after their car crashed into a highway divider.
On the same day, Khalid (left) denied on his Facebook page that Abdul Aziz had been shot, calling it a rumour.
However, he then changed his post an hour later, confirming that Abdul Aziz and his aide had indeed been shot.
"Please don't speculate (on the case).
"Witnesses interviewed at the scene confirmed there was nobody else in the car," wrote Khalid again on Facebook at approximately 3.45pm.
In another Facebook posting at approximately 5.50pm, Khalid said that the preliminary autopsy report suggested that Abdul Aziz sustained two gunshot wounds while the aide sustained one.
"There are two bullets inside the chamber while there were three spent casings inside the chambers," wrote Khalid.
However, at 7.15pm Khalid made a second correction on his Facebook page. He said the woman had two gunshot wounds while Abdul Aziz had one.
Lawyer Fahri Azzat (right) chastised Khalid's inconsistency regarding the information posted. His article titled ‘Police Updates on Facebook?' on the website loyarburok also questioned whether Facebook is the appropriate platform for the police to release this information to the media.
"What is surprising is that his initial information tends to be suspect and he seems a little too keen to post about issues under investigation," he said.
"Datuk Khalid should try to behave like a prudent and proper law enforcement officer. Do not speculate or spread rumours.
"Do not spread disinformation because correcting it later may not necessarily correct perceptions formed earlier.
"And above all only disclose information that has been verified. But really, he should be keeping quiet for the most part and simply disclose the results of the investigation when it is completed as much as possible," he added.
Akin to press conference
Meanwhile, Selangor Bar chairman and chairperson of the Criminal Law Committee Rajpal Singh opined that releasing information via Facebook is acceptable and is similar to giving a press conference.
"What he (Khalid) had disclosed is not detailed information of the investigation. He stopped short of issues like what caused the gunshots. He just informed what had transpired," Rajpal said.
In fact, Rajpal thinks that this is no different from giving a press conference where the police give information to the public on high-profile cases.
"They have done this (giving press conference) in other cases, so this is similar to that, as long as he does not release details which could hamper the investigation.
However, like a press conference, the CPO ought to have his facts verified before releasing it to the public, he added.
The chairperson of the Constitutional Law Committee, Edmund Bon (left), concurred and said that although criminal law practitioners would like a free flow of information from the authorities, it should come with high quality of police work.
"It does not reflect well on the police if the information is posted without verification. Information posted must be verified else it might jeopardise the criminal proceedings in the future," he told Malaysiakini.
He added that if the CPO was not sure, then perhaps it is best the information is kept to himself first.
"If you are not sure, then don't say it," he added.
Experienced criminal lawyer and author of ‘Criminal Litigation Process' Baljit Singh highlighted that revealing police investigations on Facebook is contrary to international standards of police investigation.
"In a police investigation nothing is conclusive; exposing it to the public is not wise because evidence could be destroyed.
"Even the complainant has to write to the police for them to reveal the investigation status. And this only takes place after two weeks into the investigation (not on the same day)," he said.
Baljit said that Khalid might have jumped the gun when he made several updates. He stressed that Khalid should be held accountable as he might have jeopardised the investigation.
