NewzA pet dog named Rocky died during an enforcement operation in Port Klang on Wednesday night, with the Klang City Council saying a woman had behaved aggressively during the operation.PETALING JAYA: Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has criticised the Klang City Council for attempting to justify the death of a pet dog named Rocky by portraying its owner as “aggressive”, saying the move deflected attention from the real issue.Responding to the council’s explanation yesterday of the dog’s death during an enforcement operation in Port Klang on Wednesday night, Santiago said it was “callous” and “absurd” to criticise Rocky’s owner.He said anyone who witnessed an animal being choked, beaten, and dying in front of them would naturally attempt to intervene.“Calling her ‘aggressive’ shifts attention away from the real issue: that a dog died cruelly while in the custody of enforcement officers, as its caretaker pleaded for mercy," he said. “Instead of addressing the conduct of those involved, the council has chosen to vilify the very person who tried to save a life."Santiago called for an independent investigation, transparency regarding the actions of the enforcement officers involved, and meaningful consequences if wrongdoing was found.“Every attempt to deflect responsibility will only deepen public outrage and further erode confidence in the council’s ability to carry out its duties humanely,” he said.A Harian Metro report quoted the council as defending its officers’ actions, saying Rocky’s owner had acted aggressively by attempting to cut the noose used to restrain the dog and threatening to harm herself if it was not released.The council said the commotion made it difficult for officers to loosen the rope, and confirmed that Rocky died during the incident.Separately, lawyer Vivek Sukumaran said the incident should be viewed as a warning sign of a growing culture of mob violence.Vivek, who chairs the Bar Council’s criminal law committee, said footage of the incident circulating online should concern all Malaysians.A crowd willing to beat a frightened animal to death showed that people had developed a tendency to respond to grievances through collective violence, he said, adding that such behaviour could extend beyond animals.“We have already seen it directed at people. Suspected thieves have been beaten by crowds before police could arrive.
Screenshots of a video of the incident, showing a woman repeatedly pleading for the noose around the dog’s neck to be removed and for her pet to be returned to her.PETALING JAYA: Police have opened an investigation paper over the killing of a pet dog named Rocky in Taman Teluk Gedung Indah, Port Klang.Klang Selatan police chief Lim Jit Huey said the case is being investigated under Section 428 of the Penal Code for the offence of mischief by killing an animal.The offence carries a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.“Members of the public are advised not to circulate videos of the incident on social media, as doing so may cause unnecessary distress and anxiety among the community,” Lim said in a statement.Animal welfare group Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia yesterday called on the authorities to investigate the alleged torture and killing of Rocky, alleging that the dog was beaten by a group of men before being captured.The group’s president, Kalaivanan Ravichandran, said the men tied a rope around Rocky’s neck and dragged the animal, resulting in its death, despite the owner’s pleas for its release.He also claimed that two Klang City Council officers were present at the scene.A video of the incident showed a woman identified as Rocky’s owner repeatedly pleading for the noose around the dog’s neck to be removed and for her pet to be returned.The Klang City Council defended the actions of its officers, saying the woman had acted aggressively in attempting to cut a noose used to trap the dog and had threatened to harm herself if the dog was not released.It also said her actions triggered a commotion, making it difficult for the council officers to loosen the rope or release their equipment “for the sake of the animal’s safety”.The council said the officers let go of their equipment before police arrived to avoid escalating the situation and prevent further injuries.Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid slammed the killing of Rocky and called for a swift, transparent, and independent investigation into the incident.Former Klang MP Charles Santiago demanded justice for the dog and accountability for every person involved in its killing.
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