Low Yat victims can sue police for negligence, lawyers say

BY BOO SU-LYN

In a video of the Low Yat attack that was uploaded on Facebook, more than a dozen Malay men were seen jumping on a car and damaging it with weapons, later pulling out and beating up two men amid religious chants.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — The men who were assaulted and whose car was damaged by a mob during the Low Yat Plaza riot may have a case against the police for negligence in not adequately intervening during the attacks, several lawyers said.

Senior litigator Datuk Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos said the police have a duty of care to the people and there is a legitimate expectation that the public and their property will be protected.

“They (the police) are expected to do the best possible under the circumstance to maintain law and order, especially when it happens in front of them. Breach of this duty of care is negligence and dereliction of duty,” Jahaberdeen told Malay Mail Online.

In a video of the Low Yat attack that was uploaded on Facebook, more than a dozen Malay men were seen jumping on a car and damaging it with weapons, later pulling out and beating up two men amid religious chants.

The scuffle occurred in the presence of four men in yellow vests marked “Polis (Police)”.

– See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/low-yat-victims-can-sue-police-for-negligence-lawyers-say?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed#sthash.B3rIxEPD.dpuf