(Kepong, Wednesday): DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw reiterates that the police should be firm and unyielding in the implementatiion of the 125 recommendations by the Royal Commission to enhance the operation and management of the Royal Malaysian Police. Meanwhile, the Cabinet must approve the proposal to increase police personnel by 30,000. Now, the force is 90,000.

Dr Tan comments on the proposal by the Inspector-General of the Police (IGP), Tan Sri Musa Hassan, who proposes to the Cabinet 30,000 extra personnel. This is a reasonable request. The Cabinet must approve it. Then, there should be recruits of all races and they should be subjected to strict training.

The Malaysian population is 25 million with 90,000 police. If the ratio between population and police is taken as 300 to1, then the gap in the country is huge. For instance, in Jinjang, Kepong, there are 300,000 people against 64 police personnel. The ratio is 3,000 to1. Tan Sri Musa has good proposals to improve the police. He is sincere. We should support him.

The 2005 Royal Commission lists various weaknesses of the police and 125 recommendations. the Home Ministry says that 101 recommendations, 81%, are being or have been implemented; 18 recommendations, 14%, are being considered and 6 of them or 5% will not be implemented. Since August, 2005, we have been monitoring the progress in the adoption of these recommendations.

Hitherto, the Public Service Department has approved 2089 new posts in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and 1077 new ones in the Narcotics Department. Several new buildings are being built, including the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters, Cheras District Police Station, Jinjang Police Station (including detention facilities for 500 detainees), KL Detention Centre, integrated Sports Complex and KL Jalan Hose Housing Scheme.

We would like to know the stage of consideration on the 18 recommendations, including the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). We hope that the IGP fulfill his promise and get at the recommendations with hammer and tongs.