A disturbing video has recently gone viral online, where it showed Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers allegedly assaulting an elderly man while trying to capture his pet dogs.
According to videos and details provided to WeirdKaya by a reader, she shared how the incident went down on Wednesday (Mar 22).
The reader claimed that the incident was recorded by a concerned resident who witnessed the incident taking place at Jalan 18/17 Taman Kanagapuram at around 9pm.
According to the resident, six to seven MBPJ officers were seen assaulting and threatening the elderly man by using an iron rod to hit him when he tried to protect his dogs.
The resident also claimed that one of the officers had swiped the dog-catching loop he was holding against the left side of the man’s face, causing him pain.
I told them this is not the right way to carry out their duties, and the officer responded, ‘kita government, memang begini buat kerja’ (we are government officers, this is how we do our work).
“Not one person in their team questioned or stopped the other officer from violating the old uncle who was all alone when the incident took place,” wrote the resident.
The elderly man also claimed that the officers did not identify themselves or explain their intentions before attacking him. As a result, he sustained a swollen jaw and cuts to his wrist.
Eventually, the man handed over three dogs to the officers, with one of it being a puppy.
The resident noted that the man and his dogs have been in the neighborhood for years. and that the canines posed no harm to society.
I have seen this uncle and his dogs for years. He brings them all out for a walk twice a day and takes good care of them by feeding them and providing shelter at his own expense.
“These dogs are harmless, and even if mistakes were committed by (the uncle), physically or verbally abusing anyone in the name of power is a hard no.
“This is a classic example of power abuse in the name of duty. Hooligans in the name of government officers,” wrote the resident.
Police report lodged
The Star later reported that the man, identified as Patrick Khoo, has since lodged a police report against MBPJ’s vector control unit.
Khoo told the English daily that all of the dogs have been vaccinated and neutered.
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident and any potential code of conduct breaches by the enforcement personnel.
“More fundamentally, we have to review the standard operating procedures when dealing with community cats and dogs. As mentioned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysia Madani concept requires us to treat animals respectfully and justly,” he told The Vibes.
Lee also added that even if senior citizens had done something wrong, it still does not serve as a reason for them to be physically assaulted, adding that PJ residents are required to obtain dog permits that are to be renewed every year.
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