08 February 2006

We don't need volunteer vigilantes, do we?

I just read an interesting case where a group of moral crusaders caught a couple committing khalwat, beat up the men, broke into the bathroom where the girl was taking a bath, allegedly groped and molested her, even slapped her, then dragged the couple to the police station.

The girl lodged a report at the station, and the police arrested the men instead.

I think this incident, if true, is another reason why we don't need volunteer vigilantes.

What do these squads really do for us anyways? It's not like you can just walk around town and tell people they should stop doing what they are doing. Whoever thinks that will actually work?

And do you really believe vigilantes will just stop at advising? Or consulting? Won't they feel like they have the power, the right, to interfere? Won't they do anything to stop the offending act? Do we really think these guys will just be bystanders and commentators?

What's their scope anyways? Will they walk up to me and tell me I'm not dressed appropriately? And how will they react when I tell them I'm Buddhist and not Muslim? And how should I react when they say I look like a Muslim and I have to show proof I'm Buddhist? And how then if my MyKad says I'm Muslim? Although I'm not, because there's just so much screw ups with the MyKads to being with?

And even if I commit something wrong, do they really have the right to bash me up? Or even threaten me? And if it ever goes to court, it's really a case of my word against theirs, isn't it? Who to trust? How to substantiate their claims or my counter claims?

How?

4 comments:

Sheena said...

I totally agree with you. As it is, the police are already doing "over-time vigilante" work during bulan puasa, catching Christian Sarawakians eating just because they look like Malays... Apatah lagi if we have VOLUNTEER vigilantes (VV) on the loose?

moz monster said...

sheena: No kidding? What are they gonna do next? Catch Moz for eating non-halal Char Kway Teow because I have dark complexion and speak kick ass Malay?

Sheena said...

Don't risk it, dude. Your MyKad might actually say Muslim.

Btw, bit o'trivia: Melanaus in Sarawak have Bin/Binti in their names, even the Christian/pagan ones. (It's a culture thing.) During bulan puasa in Shah Alam, I had to sneak out to get food on my Christian cousin's behalf, because if she was caught with a packet of cap fan in her hand, there was no way HER MyKad was going to save her.

moz monster said...

sheena: I learn something new everyday. =) *wink*