Media Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Saturday): DAP urges the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to act quickly to regain the initiative over his agenda of anti-corruption, transparency, accountability and good governance by quickly ending the open police “revolt” so as to regain control of the police force. In March this year Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar had publicly declared his opposition to the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), an unprecedented act of open defiance and insurbodination to the Prime Minister and Ministerial authority over the police force.

Bakri said that the Police rejected 24 of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission (RPC), particularly the IPCMC to the government. Such open rejection has caused embarrassment to the Prime Minister who had expressed his support for the RPC’s suggestion of establishing the IPCMC to curb police excesses and corruption as well as human rights abuses. Instead of publicly reprimanding the IGP, the Prime Minister has appeared to back down by asking the Attorney-general to study the best alternative to the proposal to establish the IPCMC.

This contradicts the Cabinet Committee on Implementation of the Royal Police Commission Recommendations chaired by the Prime Minister himself agreeing in principle on 24th January 2006 to set up the IPCMC. Abdullah should have disciplined the IGP for acting in a most unprofessional and irresponsible manner in exceeding his powers by setting policy when this is the sole prerogative of the Minister.

By hesitating to do so, Abdullah has given more courage to the police to openly “revolt” and campaign against the ICPMC publicly. In the website Berita Bukit Aman, “IPCMC – Kuasa yang tidak boleh dicabar”, a total of 12 articles were devoted to the IPCMC, emphasizing on the rationale for the police rejection of the IPCMC. Prepared by the Cawangan Perhubungan Awam, Polis Diraja Malaysia, based in Bukit Aman, the articles made explicit threats should the IPCMC be established.

10 reasons were given for rejecting the IPCMC such as weakening the authority of the police officers, creating public disorder and instability, Ministers losing control over the police and that it was illegal and unconstitutional act. Such criticisms would have been part of the democratic process were it not for the explicit threats made by the Chairman of the  PERSATUAN  PEGAWAI-PEGAWAI KANAN POLIS YANG DIWARTAKAN (PPKP/CPW) ACP JAMALUDIN BIN HJ. KHALID.

ACP Jamaluddin wrote that  the police felt demoralized, neglected and unprotected like a mistreated “stepchild” which negatively affected national security and public order. The members of the police association comprising 95,171 members and officials retaliated as follows(in his own words):-

a.         Kerja mengikut masa.

b.         Menolak elaun RM100 dan menuntut kerja 5 hari seminggu, 8 jam sehari seperti mana lain-lain kakitangan awam.

c.         Melaksanakan ‘core business’ sahaja – menghakis semangat bersedia berkhidmat.

d.         Mengundi pembangkang pada tahun 2008.

e.         Meminta pembangkang memperjuangkan hak Polis di Parlimen.

f.          Menuntut pucuk pimpinan Exco Persatuan meletakkan jawatan kerana gagal memperjuangkan kepentingan ahli.

g.         Menuntut pucuk pimpinan PDRM meletakkan jawatan.

h.         Biar jenayah naik.

i.          Pegawai penyiasat meletak jawatan beramai-ramai.

j.          Kecewa, Polis sahaja dijadikan sasaran walaupun terdapat kelemahan lain-lain agensi Kerajaan.

k.         kecewa kerana KKDN berdiam diri.

Even the Prime Minister was not spared criticism when he was asked to allow another person to take over the Ministry overseeing the police. Such disrespect, defiance and insubordination can not be allowed to go unpunished or it will blur the legal authority established since Merdeka of civilian and political control over the police force.

Making threats that the police association members will vote against BN is an act of indiscipline and a flagrant violation of discipline and general orders against political interference or manipulation. Clearly such threats show that the BN government has used the police for its own political ends, until it is powerless to act or take action against widespread and prevalent police abuses of power when it is not in the police interests.

Abdullah’s National Mission to establish a first-class mentality, a First World civil service and a developed country can not succeed if the police is unwilling to reform itself to a clean, incorruptible, efficient, human rights-sensitive, professional world-class police service. Only the IPCMC can serve the larger national interest of having a police force that is seen as the protector of the people to fight crime and maintain order, efficient and effective as well as a friend in need that is respected and trusted.