144 Million Cases and US Police Militarization

Coronavirus infections are rising with unabated vigor. Already the global caseload is 144 million. 

And Iraq joins twenty-four other countries to have accumulated one million cases. 

Sure, I have read about US police forces being armed to the teeth when they are deployed to quell public unrest – but I couldn’t really imagine the scale and scope of police militarization. Until I spied upon this piece by Rob Beschizza (editor of the culture website Boing Boing) on Tuesday:

“$118bn was spent funding police forces in the U.S. in 2018, according to the Security Policy Reform Institute. It collectively makes American police forces the world's third-most expensive military organization, after the U.S.'s official armed forces and China's. 

[Note: The chart is somewhat misleading, though, in that the same is basically true of other wealthy countries: per-capita spending on police in Europe is also very high, but the countries are less populous. Police forces in the UK enjoy some $25bn in funding, for example, a spend proportionate to the US total that nonetheless places it outside the top ten on the military spending chart]. 

But there's one thing that's plainly different: US police are militarized by policy, trained to treat the public as a threat, and kill people in far greater numbers than their foreign counterparts. The declared enemy of American police forces is the American people, and their war on us claims about 1000 lives a year”. 

I dug a little bit more into this issue of US police militarization. 

And I learned that a 2014 ACLU report, "War Comes Home: The Excessive Militarization of American Policing", concluded that "American policing has become unnecessarily and dangerously militarized..." 

The report cites an increase in unnecessarily aggressive raids, "tactics designed for the battlefield", and equipment such as armored personnel carriers and flashbang grenades – as well as a lack of transparency and oversight. 

A 2017 study "Does military equipment lead police officers to be more violent? We did the research" by Ryan Welch and Jack Mewhirter (The Washington Post, June 30, 2017) showed that police forces which received military equipment were more likely to have violent encounters with the public, regardless of local crime rates. 

I'm not surprised that police militarization is turning US streets into war zones.

Police Brutality in the US of A

I have not forgotten about George Floyd. 

In Minneapolis in Minnesota, USA, the murder trial of Derek Chauvin over Floyd’s tragic death is happening right now. [Just to recap, Chauvin had killed Floyd when the former police officer had put his knee on the latter’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds back in May 25, 2020. The video footage of that infamous kneeling sparked global protests against racism]. 

And just about ten miles away, twenty-year-old Daunte Wright (right), who was pulled over for a traffic violation in Brooklyn Center – also in Minnesota – on Sunday, died after he was shot by a police officer who had meant to use a Taser, but “mistakenly” drew her gun instead. 

This week too, Army Second Lieutenant Caron Nazario (photo below on the left) filed a lawsuit against two police officers who had stopped him in the town of Windsor in Virginia on December 05, 2020 for driving with a temporary paper license plate on his back window. 

He was subsequently pepper sprayed and knocked to the ground by the officers. Police body camera footage even showed the officers pointing their guns at the serving member of the US Army Medical Corps. 

In January, Shanta Grant had filed a lawsuit against Montgomery County, two police officers, and the county's board of education – after police detained her 5-year-old son who supposedly ran away from his school grounds at East Silver Spring Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland on January 14 last year. 

Bodycam footage (left) from last year released on March 26, 2021 showed the officers repeatedly discussing how the child should be disciplined saying he needs "whoopings" and "spanking". At one point, the female officer said he should be put in a crate. Near the end of the clip, the child is handcuffed in front of his mother. 

On September 04, 2020, Linden Cameron (right), a thirteen-year-old autistic teenager in Glendale, Utah was shot by police after his mother called for help with his mental health crisis. 

Golda Barton said she told the 911 operator that her son needed to be taken to hospital for treatment. He was experiencing a crisis because it was her first day back at work in almost a year and "he has bad separation anxiety", she said. 

"I said, he's unarmed, he doesn't have anything, he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming", Barton explained. "He's a kid, he's trying to get attention, he doesn't know how to regulate". 

The above is just a random sample of four separate incidents of police brutality in the US of A. 

And I doubt these episodes with the police will ever end.

SOP Confusion Aplenty

Malaysians know how hard it is to keep up with the ever-changing SOPs. 

One minute, the authorities say ‘No’ to one thing, and the next, the ‘No’ becomes a ‘Yes’ and then it becomes maybe ‘Can’. 

So, it’s quite natural to be confused with the SOPs – but hey, you're not the only one: even our abang-abang polis are confused. 

The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) have come out to admit that the dynamic nature of SOPs from the many movement control orders have left even our enforcers baffled, befuddled and bewildered, Malay Mail reported. 

As a result of the SOP muddle, a lot of Malaysians have been left dissatisfied after being issued with fines for seemingly petty offences. 

Bukit Aman Department of Internal Security and Public Order director Abd Rahim Jaafar (right) told Malay daily Mingguan Malaysia that about 100,000 police personnel and enforcers from other agencies have different interpretations of the SOPs. 

“We can’t deny that when everyone has a different understanding of the law, there are bound to be issues. We are in the process of educating our officers regarding the SOPs during this MCO", he was quoted as saying. 

In any case, Abd Rahim assured Malaysians that overall, the authorities are now more aware of the basic SOPs, and that has reportedly led to a reduction in questionable compound notices. 

All of the above comes about because the language used for the SOPs is not clear-cut, explicit and precise. 

Manchester City took a potentially decisive hold on the Premier League title race as they thrashed Liverpool 4-1 yesterday – helped by a nightmare display from the champions' goalkeeper Alisson Becker where three goals (49, 73, 76) were self-inflicted. 

Liverpool were outclassed and on the receiving end of their third successive Premier League home loss – the Citizens followed in the footsteps of Burnley, who ended the Reds' 68-match unbeaten league run at Anfield, and Brighton. 

The league title is as good as gone.

No Loitering

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (right) is back in the world news again!

Famous for his bloody war on drugs and his manic obsession with social order – he decided on the spur of the moment to launch a tirade against loitering on June 13, 2018. 

In one of his trademark rambling speeches, he declared that fellow citizens who are hanging out in the streets should be ordered home, and if they refused, he would personally tie their hands and drop them into a river. 

Obedient Manila police took that as a presidential directive and they began to enforce it with zestful zealousness that according to Reuters, some 59,000 people have since been apprehended.

The Philippine Star said over 11,000 individuals have been rounded up in Metro Manila alone since the police clampdown. Image credit: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/18/1825611/pnp-lgus-urged-make-tambays-productive 

Image credit: Manny Llanes/Manila Bulletin, Philippines

The crackdown has been condemned by activists, legal groups and opposition lawmakers, who say it has no legal basis. 

Besides, vagrancy had already been decriminalised since 2012. 

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the Philippine National Police to immediately cease their controversial campaign against loiterers, which is perceived to target mainly the poor. 

HRW stressed that the authorities have focused the anti-loitering campaign in the same communities that have been targeted by the government’s war on drugs. 

Antonio Tinio, an opposition Congressman denounced it too: “This is all about imposing control on the poor, by using force or the threat of force to intimidate them. What for? The intention is to keep them from resisting, from fighting back”. 

But Duterte being Duterte was unmoved, insisting the anti-loitering crackdown is a “crime prevention campaign”. 

Anyway, amid mounting criticisms of the intensified “anti-crime” efforts, Duterte last Friday said that he ordered cops only to accost, not arrest, loiterers. 

Still, the Philippine President is known to get his way – and he is unlikely to suffer any backlash. 

In fact, his public support ratings, built on the back of his reputation as a no-nonsense disciplinarian who gets things done, remain high.

In their second International Champions Cup outing at the MetLife Stadium, home of New York’s NFL teams the Giants and the Jets in New Jersey, USA – Liverpool faced an under-strength Manchester City side and a poor pitch* that made passing quickly and decisively a challenge – and indeed, the Reds struggled to find fluency and fluidity as an attacking force as a result. 

(*Somebody had described it as a farmer's field!)

This time around, Liverpool’s fifth pre-season match gave them a 2-1 victory as Jurgen Klopp‘s side came from behind to win.

But of course, the two goals came from none other than Mo Salah (62) and Sadio Mane (90, penalty). 

It was also good to know that the young ‘uns Nathaniel Philips, Curtis Jones, Rafa Camacho, Ben Woodburn, Marko Grujić, Pedro Chirivella and Caoimhin Kelleher showed they can be just as good as the seniors.

The result is of secondary concern, of course, but it’s good to have a positive outcome nonetheless. 

Liverpool meet Manchester United in Michigan two days later.

Anwar Ibrahim Still Wants to Clear His Name

Image credit: http://www.sarawakreport.org/2018/06/grateful-for-royal-pardon-but-anwar-yearns-to-see-civil-justice-also-in-his-case/

Sarawak Report highlighted Anwar Ibrahim’s wish to have his name cleared through the courts – even though he had expressed gratitude for the royal pardon he received last month which allowed him to be unconditionally released from prison. 

It seems that the de facto PKR leader had instructed his UK-based lawyers to continue to seek a re-test on the DNA samples taken from him during the proceedings in his second sodomy trial in 2014. 

Anwar said his decision not to drop the proceedings in his case would put Malaysia's legal system and the PH government's commitment to the rule of law to the test. 

“I want to have (my case) set out and reviewed in court and to have it judged purely on the principles of law – this would show the beginning of the rule of justice in Malaysia”, Anwar was quoted as saying on Wednesday in London. 

He said that many others had suffered under archaic legal processes in Malaysia, which he as a politician had a unique advantage of viewing first-hand by virtue of joining them in prison. 

Anwar said his experience has made him a passionate advocate for prison and penal reform as a result. 

Queen’s counsel David Bentley, who is representing Anwar, had admitted to Anwar's request as being a Herculean task to have the case reopened. 

He explained that this was because Malaysia does not have provisions for oversight review by the Federal/supreme courts to ensure that justice has been served.  

Bentley said that he had also been troubled by the fact that, unlike for example in the UK, an acquittal in a criminal case could be challenged by the prosecution, as had taken place in Anwar’s situation. 

The latter had been found not guilty by a High Court judge, Bentley pointed out, on the grounds that the crucial DNA evidence used against him had been shown to be suspect and inadequate by two eminent Australian scientific experts. 

In normal circumstances this ought to have been the end of any criminal prosecution and indeed the Malaysian High Court judge had deemed it so. 

However, the case proceeded upwards for reasons nobody really understood – first to the Appeal Court and then to the Federal Court. And they were perplexed to know that the evidence of the respected scientists had been mocked and then dismissed by the higher court judges. 

In one ruling the DNA experts were described as “armchair observers”, said Bentley, again for reasons that were not clarified. 

Even so, Anwar's legal team acknowledged that to obtain an order to re-open and re-examine the issue as described above would represent a breakthrough in terms of Malaysian law. And I suppose, this is a last-ditch challenge for Anwar to clear his name. 

We know Anwar Ibrahim is innocent – but the need to prove there was a miscarriage of justice is important for his peace of mind. As well as to put to rest, any doubt anybody may have towards Anwar. 

If he is going to be the next Prime Minister, I reckon he needs a clear acquittal in a court of law.

Amputation under Hudud

Screenshot from an ISIS video. Image credit: https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/78/590x/ISIS-588412.jpg

It all started when Kelantan deputy menteri besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said contemporary Islamic scholars were of the opinion that the services of doctors were needed to carry out punitive amputation on thieves found guilty under hudud law. 

“We want to use a surgeon to avoid any damage to the remaining parts of the limb”, he was quoted saying. 

Singapore’s Today on January 03, 2018 cited him as also saying the state will allocate RM1 million (S$330,552) to research how best to implement hudud that includes amputation, whipping and stoning for some offences. 

Just as promptly, three prominent Muslim doctors of medicine voiced outrage over the said proposal. They told FMT that would mean asking a doctor to violate his professional oath of doing no harm to the human body. 

The three were Islamic Renaissance Front director Ahmad Farouk Musa, who is a cardiothoracic surgeon, California-based surgeon and political commentator M Bakri Musa and Kota Raja MP Siti Mariah Mahmud, a doctor who used to teach medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. 

On Sunday, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah even had to issue a statement that the health ministry will never allow doctors to cut off the hands of thieves found guilty even if hudud is implemented in the country. 

“What we said in 2015 still stands today”. 

He maintained that both the health ministry and Malaysian Medical Council are clear about this. 

Only because elections are looming, PAS started to become defensive. 

So, on Tuesday, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man questioned the criticisms levelled at his fellow PAS member. He said that any discussion was irrelevant as there is currently no such laws in Malaysia. 

“Even in the amendment to Act 355 which has not been passed does not entail such a law”, he said, referring to PAS’s efforts to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965. 

And in a separate report, Kelantan chief Syariah judge Daud Muhammad said the amputation of limbs was not something that would be enforced indiscriminately. 

He added that there were many aspects to consider before delivering such a punishment. “It is not necessary to cut the hand for stealing... we must see the circumstances, such as whether (the thief) was desperately acting out of hunger or other causes that led to the crime”, he was quoted as saying. 

“God willing, we will not have to reach that extent. It is, however, important to have and empower the law”, he added. 

I don't know why but suddenly, I am envisioning a population of limbless citizens in Kelantan – if the Taliban, oops, I mean PAS continue to wield power. For a start, it is public knowledge that Kelantan’s vices are already way over its head.

Prison Time for Umbrella Trio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP photo

 

Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow who had spearheaded Hong Kong’s huge Umbrella Movement protests were jailed Thursday for their role in the 2014 pro-democracy protests – and dealing a fresh blow to the campaign for political reform.

 

Wong, Law and Chow were given terms of six months, eight months and seven months respectively after the court upped their previous non-custodial sentences. The sentences handed down by the city’s Court of Appeal came as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city and that rule of law is being compromised.

 

The Umbrella trio were found guilty last year on unlawful assembly charges for storming a fenced-off government forecourt known as “Civic Square” as part of a protest calling for fully free leadership elections in September 2014.

 

Their arrests sparked wider rallies which exploded two days later when police fired tear gas on the crowds, triggering mass demonstrations that brought parts of Hong Kong to a standstill for more than two months in an unprecedented challenge to Beijing.

 

Wong and Law received community sentences and Chow a three-week suspended sentence at magistrates’ court last August over the Civic Square protest. But Hong Kong’s justice department had sought to enhance those terms, with prosecutors arguing they should receive harsher punishment. Indeed, their wish has come true.

 

Methinks, Hong Kong can expect more protests because this is not the end.

There is apparently this survey involving 1,000 Malaysians by BlackBox Research for Tourism New Zealand that our passion for food is a key focus even when we are holidaying overseas.

 

The study found that eight in 10 Malaysians ranked indulging in a country’s local delicacies as the activity they enjoyed doing most.

Duh! As if we don't already know that!

Intolerance Thrives in Malaysia

Malaysian police blurred faces in this photo showing officers arresting a suspected IS supporter at an undisclosed location. Photo courtesy of the Royal Malaysian Police @ http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/police-raids-03242017150905.html

The Islamic State ideology represents extreme intolerance, embracing brutal savagery and deliberate murder. And it is pure evil.

What is frightening is the fact that the arrest of Malaysians with IS affiliations is becoming more frequent. And more numerous.

 

Since 2013, Malaysian authorities have arrested 294 people with suspected IS links, of whom 66 have since been freed, according to the latest figures obtained by BenarNews on March 24, 2017. This precludes additional arrests in April and May.

Soldiers patrol the streets of Marawi as the Filipino army moves in to free the city from the murderous clutches of IS-linked fighters, May 25, 2017. Photo credit: Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews

We seem to even get involved in the Marawi siege in the Philippines by IS-linked militants. Malaysians are fighting alongside the local terror groups Maute and Abu Sayyaf. As well as combatants from Indonesia and Singapore – all providing back-up firepower to the hostiles in the Mindanao conflict.

 

In fact, the fierce gun battles had forced Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to place the whole of Mindanao under martial law.

 

The Star on Friday had quoted intelligence sources as saying the Malaysians killed in the battles had been identified as Ustaz Abdurahman Asmawi, from Kelantan and Dr Kamsa Yahya from Kedah.

 

But Bukit Aman Special Branch director Mohamad Fuzi Harun said “We cannot confirm (the identities of) those who were killed as there are a number of people (Malaysians) over there”.

Reports indicated at least five Malaysians are believed to be in Marawi City – Malaysian police seem to suggest.

In fact, Sunday Mail yesterday had cited a Manila-based intelligence official as saying: “Intelligence from ground operatives disclosed 28 Malaysians arrived in Marawi early last week for a 'religious' event. We suspect there must be more who arrived separately”.

 

The Coverage on December 11, 2015 had published a Pew Research Center study that claimed that over one in ten Malaysians hold favorable views of the IS despite the horrendous violence committed.

 

The findings come at a time when Malaysia is grappling with the spread of IS ideology among the local populace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the study of Muslims’ attitude towards IS, which the Pew Research Centre gleaned from its 2015 Global Attitudes survey, support level for the group in Malaysia was tied in second place with Senegal among 11 nations with significant Muslim populations polled.

 

It’s not just the IS whom we should be worried about.

 

The Red Shirts and many so-called Muslim NGOs that are spewing hatred and creating a dangerously volatile situation is already alarming many non-Muslims.

 

The call by Jaringan Muslimin Pulau Pinang chairperson Mohd Hafiz Noordin to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng forbidding him to attend “buka puasa” (breaking of fast) events unless he converts to Islam is belligerently bigoted as it is peculiarly preposterous.

 

I am not saying Islam is the enemy. But a perversion of Islam is.

 

It conceives intolerance. And intolerance is becoming the curse of our country.

 

Still, I am not giving up hope.

 

As American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice artist, Patton Oswalt had said: “So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will'”.

 

And I am consoled. For now, at least.

Maria Chin Abdullah Released from Lock-up

Lawyer and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan shared this photo with Maria Chin Abdullah, after the latter was released on Monday, on her official Twitter feed. 

Surprise, surprise! Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah was released at about 4.30 PM yesterday – her 11th day in the lock-up and a day before her habeas corpus hearing challenging her detention.

I don’t believe she is out of the woods yet – still, it gives her momentary relief. She is reunited with her family and that is comforting. 

Malaysians too can rejoice – for now at least. 

Supporters hold signs in support of Maria Chin Abdullah during a vigil at Dataran Merdeka, KL on November 28, 2016. Picture by Choo Choy May

On Sunday, in the Scottish League Cup final, Aberdeen were overawed and overrun, almost from the first whistle. And Celtic triumphed 3-0 – thanks to goals from Tom Rogic (16), James Forrest (37) and Moussa Dembele (64, penalty).

This was the sixteenth time the Glasgow team won and it was their 100th major trophy! An amazing feat!

Yesterday, I was at the Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam in Jalan Damansara, KL – and thanks to Nicole Leong and Rush Teh, I had a speaking slot. I presented CC speech #9 Persuade with Power titled “Kill Your Dreams”. I was also voted Best Speaker.

Additionally, I was an evaluator for an Advanced speech from The Professional Speaker manual as well as took up the last-minute role of a General Evaluator.

Christmas came early for Speakers Dream Toastmasters Club and I received this Wild Vines raspberry Zinfandel (Framboise) during the gift exchange – see photo!

Police Killings in the US

Facebook pic

US news have been focusing on the many lives lost to police killings.

 

But we must remember too that police officers put their lives in danger every day. From 2004-2014, an annual average of 51 officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty according to data collected by the FBI. In the same time period, an average of 57,000 officers were assaulted every year (though only about 25 percent of those assaults result in any physical injuries).

 

But let’s look at it from another perspective.

Violent attacks on officers, particularly those that involve a serious physical threat, are few and far between when you take into account the fact that police officers interact with civilians about 63 million times every year.

In percentage terms, officers were assaulted in about 0.09 percent of all interactions, were injured in some way in 0.02 percent of interactions, and were feloniously killed in 0.00008 percent of interactions (The Atlantic, December 12, 2012), .

So really, the pepper spray, baton, Taser, and gun that are so easily accessible to police officers are meant to be tools of last resort.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlo Allegri/Reuters

 

Pics of my talk at SEGi College Kuala Lumpur on Saturday:

The audience was great. The reception was incredible. And the talk was a turn-on. Special thanks to Tiffany Ngah for putting it together – she is just awesome!

Militarizing the Police

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was one of the enduring images from Ferguson, Missouri. AP picture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Guard vehicles in Ferguson. Reuters pic

 

The images on the news of police wearing helmets and masks, toting assault rifles, and riding in mine-resistant armored vehicles do not represent isolated incidents – but rather it is an alarming trend of police militarization in the US of A.

Federal programs providing surplus military equipment, along with departments’ own purchases, have outfitted officers with firepower that is often far beyond what is necessary for their jobs as protectors of their communities.

 

President Barack Obama (left) announced Monday he is banning the federal government from providing certain types of military-style equipment to local police departments, and less heavy-duty equipment will have more regulations. The banned items include tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft and vehicles, bayonets, grenade launchers, camouflage uniforms and large-caliber firearms.

 

The ban follows criticisms that police were too heavy handed in dealing with demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, that turned violent last summer.

 

A series of fatal shootings by police have increased mistrust and sparked protests across the country. In Ferguson and in Baltimore, those protests turned violent, with looting and arson. But the sight of police dressed in camouflage and riot gear dealing with protests provoked a storm of condemnation.

 

The White House wants police to only retain equipment they need to maintain public order.

 

But a review showed five federal agencies spent $18 billion on programs that gave them 92,442 small arms, 44,275 night-vision devices, 5,235 Humvees, 617 mine-resistant vehicles and 616 aircraft. The study said there was a "substantial risk of misusing or overusing" the said gear, and their presence could undermine trust in police.

 

Undoubtedly, sending a heavily armed team to perform “normal” police work can dangerously escalate situations that need never have involved violence. When dealing with civil unrest, law enforcement should employ restraint on police power, and uses only the degree of force necessary to maintain the community’s safety.

 

The Police should not turn our streets into a war zone.

 

Last evening, I was in KL Sentral to attend the Bangsar Toastmasters meeting. I had a speaking slot – I delivered my second CC speech #2 titled “Holidays” – as well as took two additional roles: I evaluated a speaker and I was also the General Evaluator. A meeting that was immensely enjoyable.

 

And I got a nice surprise when I was voted Best Speaker and Best Evaluator. The meeting started timely although the ending wasn’t so good. I would score this meeting a 7 over 10.