I find this case making a sickening turn with a police officer being charged for causing death by negligence. This move is likely to appease the general public whom mysteriously absolved Aminulrasyid or family of all blame.
Here are the facts of the case. He is an underaged male driving the car of his elder sister. He was speeding and perhaps recklessly in the process. He grazed a car leading to a pack of motorcyclists chasing him. During this episode, one motorcyclist fell after hitting the rear of the car. He was ordered to stop by a clearly marked police vehicle but refused to do so and in the process led police on a car chase for 6 km. Upon stopping he did not surrender but reversed his vehicle. Police then fired on the vehicle.
I would think the the police fired when they witnessed the recklessness of this driver perhaps putting other motorists in danger at the same time. He clearly defied police orders and was seen as running away from them. Retrospectively, one can argue that the police could have exercised more restraint. Having said that, if it were to involve an adult, this would have been an open shut case. Unfortunately, public sympathy, partly press driven, has resulted in an outcry of police brutality.
In this episode, I feel that the best justice will be for the police to be demoted to a lesser position or perhaps forced into retraining exercise as his intention was to protect the public from such drivers. What appals me is the fact that the family has shown no shame in the actions of their child. Defying the police sends only one signal, inviting a confrontation with armed men. Aminulrasyid was a minor but his family has to carry some blame as well.
I fear that a police officer has been made a scalp goat in order to appease the rising voice of dissent from the public crying for some blood.
