By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 1: Police have opened an investigation into the killing of a pet dog named Rocky in Taman Teluk Gedung Indah, Port Klang, which has gained netizens’ attention nationwide.
According to Klang Selatan police chief Lim Jit Huey, the case is being investigated under Section 428 of the Penal Code for the offence of mischief by killing an animal. It 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 published by Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
Meanwhile, according to the Selangor Royal Office’s Intagram post, Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, called on the federal government to review the penalties under the Animal Welfare Act 2015 to ensure punishments for animal cruelty offenders are stricter and enforced more consistently.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, who is the royal patron of the Stray Free Selangor campaign under the Selangor Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, stressed that animal cruelty is not only against the law but also reflects a failure to uphold compassion, which forms the foundation of a civilised society.
“No form of cruelty to animals will be accepted or tolerated, regardless of who the perpetrator is, what position they hold, what race or religion they belong to, or what reason is given. This applies to all parties, whether individuals, organisations, companies, or government agencies or authorities. No one is above the law.
“Any party found to have committed cruelty against animals, including members or officers of local authorities, should be thoroughly investigated and subject to appropriate legal action.”
At the same time, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin said that public trust in enforcement institutions can only be preserved when their actions are carried out professionally, with integrity and compassion, rather than through unnecessary violence or actions that cause suffering to animals.
Former Klang MP Charles Santiago, in an Instagram post, described the incident as ‘an appalling failure of justice’ and called for a thorough and transparent investigation.
“The law must protect animals from cruelty, and the police have a responsibility to investigate allegations of violence,” he said.
According to FMT, this followed Klang City Council’s statement defending its officers’ actions in the incident, claiming that Rocky’s owner had acted aggressively by attempting to cut the noose used to restrain the dog and threatening to harm herself if the animal 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 at about 10.50pm on Wednesday (July 29).
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, an animal welfare group, claimed Rocky was struck several times with a piece of wood.
The group also alleged that two officers from the Klang Royal City Council were present during the incident.
Malaysians have spoken out against the incident and have a started a campaign called ‘Justice for Rocky’. — DayakDaily
