COPS TO WRAP UP INVESTIGATIONS

Time needed to ensure a solid case, says deputy IGP

HARIZ MOHD

SHAH ALAM harizm@nst.com.my

POLICE will soon decide on what action to take against the female driver who ploughed i nto a group of cyclists in Johor Baru, killing eight of them. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the decision would be based on investigation findings, which would wrap up soon.

He said investigators took their time in probing the case to ensure they had a solid case before taking further action.

He said the long investigation period was not an indication that police were inactive, rather, it was used to collect evidence.

“This is a big case in which eight lives were lost. Police cannot conduct such an investigation in a perfunctory manner. We cannot rush. Without solid evidence, police will lose the case. This will mean we are not doing justice to the victims and their families.

“I have met the investigating officer and was told that the process is lengthy. It involves other agencies that also need time to process and analyse the evidence.”

He said this at the launch of a seminar at Kelab Shah Alam yesterday.

He was commenting on complaints by Netizens over the case.

Some even compared the time taken by Malaysian police to take action against the driver with the time taken by Singaporean authorities to take action in a recent fatal accident in the republic.

Noor Rashid said among the agencies involved in the investigation were the Chemistry and Road Transport departments, and Puspakom.

“I expect the investigation to end soon. Then, we will take further action based on the findings.”