We have all done horrible things and for some of us these events are coming back to haunt us.
This happened with the former IGP, Rahim Noor, who closed the incident, which took place in 1998, when he hit the former vice-premier, Anwar Ibrahim, and gave him a blue eye.
Anwar had just been fired by Premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and was in prison when Rahim attacked him. The former DPM then continued to bleed and be held for days without having received any medical attention.
Last week, Rahim was appointed the facilitator of the peace process in southern Thailand.
This led to a number of politicians, including the daughter of Anwar, Mr. Nurul Izzah, and some members of the general public objecting to his appointment.
Rahim resolved their worries and said that his appointment had nothing to do with the "black-eye incident" and he said the "past was the past".
Is Rahim aware of how his image is being projected throughout the country? He may have been the IGP at the time of the incident, but he sounds like an insecure, heartless bully, who does not regret remorse.
His experience in dealing with border issues, as well as national security, and the fact that he was helpful in concluding the peace talks with the Communist Party of Malaysia, is undoubtedly invaluable; but the rakyat think that a younger and more capable Malaysian should take the role.
Is the generation that came after Mahathir incompetent? We have recycled the non-Jewish to save Malaysia from the claws of a kleptocrat. Should we now recycle other former leaders and place them in important roles in building nations?
Should Rahim not be retired? Why can younger men not be encouraged to learn and grow in the role marked for Rahim?
What message do we send to younger Malaysians? It seems that we can beat and torture people and later reward them with important roles.
Is the Pakatan Harapan government so weak that he can not oppose this appointment? Are they afraid of Dr. Mahathir and will they not resist him? Do they not see that we are appalled by the insensitivity of Pakatan and the banal statement of Rahim: "The past is the past"?
Even former bullies are ashamed of their former behavior, but Rahim does not show any regret that most of us would feel.
Is it any wonder that a police force led by men like Rahim should be responsible for an extraordinarily large number of deaths in custody? Policemen, who see that their boss does not regret his brutality, will be used to other brutal attacks or deaths.
Rahim once abused his authority and did not respect the rule of law. Today we are forced to ratify his appointment.
As far as most of us are concerned, Rahim must stay in retirement and someone else must be selected for the important role of peacekeeping in South Thailand.
Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.
The views of the writer are not necessarily those of FMT.
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