I wish to give my comments on the action by the Police to call up the editor of The Online Citizen for questioning.

I understand that a report was submitted by the government agency responsible for monitoring the website. They had lodged a report of "criminal defamation".

I wonder how they come to the conclusion that the statement in the website could amount to "criminal defamation". I have read comments from some lawyers that this charge does not hold water.

I wonder if they had obtained legal advice from the Attorney General's Office?

Once the Police received such a report, they are duty bound to call up the complainee to get a statement from him.

But there is no need to seize his video recording or computer equipment. There is also no need to take several hours to get a statement.

The action of the Police seems to be excessive.

Several years ago, I have lodged two separate complaints against certain parties for alleged cheating of the public. In one case, I was a joint complainant. In another case, I was helping several parties to lodge the complaint. These cases that occured a year or two apart.

After investing each complaint for more than six months, the investigating officer told me that there were insufficient grounds to take action against the complainee. During this time, the complainants were not asked by the investigating officer to elaborate on our complaint and were not briefed about the progress of the investigation.

I asked the investigating officer if they had called the complainee to get a statement from him. I was shocked to be told that this was not done.

It seems now that the Police are more vigilant in acting on this complaint against the complainee.

I do not wish to be seen as scandalising the Police, but I feel that the Police should be seen as enforcing the law fairly.

Tan Kin Lian