Police
Hitting a controversial patch
They regard some assault cases as civil disputes, raising public furore. By Seah Chiang Nee.
Aug 8, 2006

Not long ago, a gang of older girls beat up a 12-year-old girl in public, video filming the assault, and the tape was widely posted in the Internet.

The assailants were known, but the police said it would not act because nobody had lodged a report with them. It sparked questions about the responsibility of the police when public violence was committed.

Yesterday, another Singaporean wrote to the press to complain that her brother, a doctor in a Singapore hospital, was eating alone at a Geylang food-stall at night when he was approached by six to eight youths who accused him of staring at them

“When he denied doing so, they assaulted him, beating him in the face and abdomen,” said Ms Liew Sok Kuan.

According to Ms. Liew, he suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes, she said.

“He suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes,” related Ms. Liew.

They escaped in their motorbikes, but the victim noted two of the bikes’ numbers and rang up 999 and reported to them what had happened.

Despite the serious injury in what was clearly a criminal case, she alleged the police shockingly declined to go after the assailants, and instead asked him to lodge a report with the Magistrates' Court, and left

“They advised that this was a civil case and it was for the magistrate to decide if any action was to be taken.”

Ms Liew added: “It was only when an appeal was made that my brother's case was reclassified under Section 325 (from Section 323), 10 days after the incident, by which time witnesses would have dispersed and memories faded.

“Had the police acted promptly, especially when they were at the scene, they might have had a better chance of apprehending the culprits as there were witnesses around.”

It sparked off a debate about the role and the priorities of the police. Two questions immediately arose: -

* Do they regard violent crime as less important than political activism? A dozen anti-riot policemen carrying shields and batons recently were rushed to disperse four opposition party activists protesting peacefully in central Singapore.

* How many such public assault cases have been classified as civil cases? If it is a general policy, how has it affected the record of crime statistics in Singapore, since civil cases are not classified under ‘crime’. In other words, should crime statistics be higher than what is announced?

Public opinion was largely against the police in this case and I believe that a high-level public statement is needed to explain what the police role and responsibility is in the event of a public assault.

Comments online (excerpts)

By ardeedee
The incident (mentioned by Ms Liew) should have been classified as a riot as more than five members involved in this assault…
It appears from what the report that the Police were remiss in their action and that they also were not being properly advised as they had or should be in contact with Radio Police at 999 where there used to be a senior officer (an Inspector) on duty to ensure proper classification and action to be taken at the scene.
Someone should be telling the Police that their inefficiency is showing and affecting their reputation and eventually that of Singapore.

By "yingyang"
Some yeras ago, my daughter’s flat was broken into, the (police) investigator didn't even bother to come down to her flat to look for fingerprints.
In another case early this year, there was a boy from a poor family who suffered two fractured legs as a result of a reckless driver near Woodland. The policeman in-charge of the case only called the father.
Despite of several appeals to ask him to come down to see for himself the seriousness of the injuries the boy had, this investigator simply just couldn’t be bothered.
What is the point of having so many police investigators, if they do not want to perform basic functions?

Stayer Ong
I read with concern the letter in today's Straits Times, "Assault 'a civil case', so no police action".
With the upcoming IMF/World Bank meeting in September, such police inaction ...when police intervention and help are genuinely needed is totally unacceptable.
How will the world view Singapore's law and order when our police are not responsive to genuine needs?

Whispers from the heart said...
All his (police) are now practicing how to control violent protests and learning to operate those cool gadgets they bought to control violent crowds.
Singaporeans who still boast about being able to walk on Singapore streets without worrying about safety better have their brains examined.
You can't even eat at a hawker centre safely.
Probably, the whole Police force is mobilised at the Stadium today to look out for people wearing brown shirts (in support of blogger mrbrown) and making them change into red and white ones.

The modern sikh said...
I've lodged two complaints before and not one of them has been acted on. They're too busy stopping people from bringing DVDs across the Causeway.

Anonymous said...
Has any one wondered why our "efficient" police force always claims that Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world? The reason seems obvious now, isn't it?

Kevin said...
Perhaps it's a case of who's really working for whom. I hate to say this but I am seeing our government as more self-serving than actually citizen-centric. Where's the goodwill?

Radikaz said...
Three years ago, my mobile phone and wallet were stolen at Bishan sports complex. The items were taken off from my bag and incredibly I wasn’t alone. Another guy's bag was stolen as well, I also realised the front desk's ceiling was installed with a round-camera system and a recorder as well. So quickly, we logged a police report at Bishan police post.
Despite my constant reminder that my wallet and phone were stolen, the police on duty logged it as a “loss” case.
I re-logged the case next day at another police post near my house and wasted 1/2 hour to remedy an incorrect police report. Because they need to call back to Bishan post and rectified the error and concerted it with the HQ whatever so.
I told them that the Bishan sport complex had a camera which recorded.. and they would look into the video.
I later checked. No police had viewed the tape. So routinely, the theft case at Bishan gym was chucked under the drawer. And god knows how many more wallets and phones were stolen there since?

Anonymous said...
When I was much younger, there was a gang fight taking place just downstairs at my flat, with two gangs approaching each other with parangs and other weapons. I called the police who arrived in half an hour or more by which time the fight was over.
littlespeck compiled.