M'sian cop filmed stepping on suspect's head, police says man tried to resist arrest

A video of a policeman stepping on a suspect's head in Malaysia has gone viral online, prompting widespread backlash over the alleged use of undue force by the law enforcer.

A 30-second clip of the incident circulating on Facebook shows a man clad in black, apparently a policeman, dragging the suspect off his motorcycle before throwing him onto the ground.

The policeman then used his boot to step on the motorcyclist's head, which was protected by a helmet, until another man pushed him away.

Shouting between both parties could be heard throughout the video.

Suspect reportedly tried to evade arrest, was on drugs

According to New Straits Times, the incident occurred at about 11am in Jalan Tunku Putra, Kedah, Malaysia.

The district's deputy police chief said police personnel were conducting a patrol and attempted to detain the suspect, but a struggle ensued as he resisted arrest by kicking a policeman's motorcycle and fleeing.

The man also allegedly rode his motorcycle recklessly against traffic, the deputy police chief said.

He was caught after the police managed to track him down to a motorcycle accessories shop, where the incident happened.

The suspect reportedly later tested positive for drugs.

Policeman reassigned, probe underway

Following online backlash, an investigation has been launched by authorities into whether the policeman had adhered to standard operating procedure during the arrest.

Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in an interview on Apr. 21 that he has instructed the Kedah police to step up investigations into the incident.

"All enforcement actions by police are governed by established SOPs. We need to determine whether there was compliance or a breach," he said, according to NST.

He added that any action would depend on the outcome of the investigation, but warned against making premature judgments based on the short clip.

"We must also consider what happened before that...We cannot act rashly, as it could affect the morale of officers carrying out enforcement duties."

According to Free Malaysia Today, the policeman in the video has been reassigned to administrative duties while investigations are underway.

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