300 Retired Policemen Stage Peaceful Demo Over Sabah Armed Intrusion

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 (Bernama) -- About 300 retired policemen today staged a peaceful demonstration at the National Monument here, expressing support for the government's handling of the armed intrusion in Sabah and condemning PKR vice-president Tian Chua's controversial statement.

The demonstrators, led by former Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Shamsuri Arshad, comprised representatives from among retired personnel of the VAT 69 Commando Unit, Police Squad 69 Unit, Ex-Policemen's Association of Malaysia, Special Branch, Police Field Force, Yayasan Pengaman Malaysia and the Retired Senior Police Officers Association of Malaysia (Respa).

Among those who took part in the hour-long demonstration were former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Norian Mai, former Deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz, former Deputy IGP Tan Sri Husin Ismail, former Director of CID Tan Sri Mohd Zaman Khan and former Kuala Lumpur Deputy Chief Police Officer Datuk Khoo Ah See.

The demonstrators carried banners condemning Tian Chua and demanding his apology for having stated that the armed intrusion in Lahad Datu was orchestrated by Umno to divert attention and intimidate the people.

Eight policemen were killed in skirmishes with armed intruders claiming to be from the royal army of the Sulu Sultanate in the Philippines, in Kampung Tanduo near Lahad Datu and Semporna on March 1 and 2.

Shamsuri said the deaths of the policemen should not be ridiculed as a drama staged by the government.

"He (Tian Chua) cannot mock the deaths by saying that it is all a drama because this will only add to the melancholy of the policemen's families. A life cannot be substituted with cash. The policemen have made a huge sacrifice as national heroes," he said.

Shamsuri stressed that the police pensioners were in support of and confident of the measures taken by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin in handling the armed intrusion.

He condemned a statement on a Facebook account under the name of 'Jonathan Lin' which described the policemen slain in Lahad Datu as "two police dogs of Umno".

"This is an insult to the estimated two million police personnel, serving and retired. It should not have been issued by any individual living in a peaceful environment established with the dedicated service of the police," he said.