Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling
Jaya on Thursday, 25th September 2008:
Two cases of robbery (and one murder) of
the wife of two former Penang Assemblymen horrible reminders of the
terrible costs being paid by Malaysians for the failure by Abdullah to
establish IPCMC to create an efficient, professional and world-class
police service
Two ghastly news within 24 hours –the
robbery-cum-murder of Thor Joo Lee, wife of former Penang State
Assemblyman for Bukit Tambun, Lai Chew Hock at her Tambun Indah house in
Penang and the robbery of Datin Chang Lee Lee, wife of former Penang
Exco and Pulau Tikus Assemblyman Datuk Dr. Teng Hock Nan in her Jalan
Tunku Abdul Rahman house in Penang.
These two cases of robbery (and one murder) of the wife of two former
Penang Assemblymen are horrible reminders of the terrible costs being
paid by Malaysians for the failure by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to heed the important recommendation of the Police
Royal Commission to establish the Independent Police Complaints and
Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to create an efficient, professional and
world-class police service to keep crime low in the country.
As a result, it has become an important factor why Malaysia is losing
out in the international competiveness stakes to other countries in
attracting foreign investment as low crime, personal safety and security
of property always rank as one of the top considerations for any foreign
investor in the important decision-making process whether to invest in a
country or not.
I have no doubt that Malaysia would have broken the back of the
worsening crime problem if the IPCMC had been fully accepted and started
functioning from May 2006 as recommended by the Royal Police Commission,
making Malaysia a safe haven not only for Malaysian citizens, but also
for investors and tourists.
Abdullah has failed as Home Minister for eight years from 2001-2008 as
he presided over a worsening crime situation in the country with
Malaysians, investors and tourists unable to feel safe whether in the
streets, public places or in the privacy of their homes.
The current Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar is also heading
for another dismal failure as a Home Minister as he has not been able to
inspire public confidence that his No. 1 responsibility is to reverse
the rising tide of the crime index in the past decade to make Malaysia a
safe country for her citizens, investors and tourists.
In his more than six months as Home Minister, Hamid has shown that he
has a completely misplaced sense of priorities, misusing and abusing his
powers whether under the Internal Security Act or in threatening
newspapers with show cause notices.
After the Barisan Nasional's "thrashing" in the March 8 general
election, Abdullah had pledged to implement his many abandoned reform
programmes, one of which is police reform and the establishment of the
IPCMC.
There have been no signs in the past six months that the government is
prepared to present in Parliament an urgent bill to set up the IPCMC
without any delay.
Abdullah seems to be totally overwhelmed by the battle to fight for his
political life instead of making life safe and a quality one for
Malaysians, tourists and investors.
Malaysians have a right to demand that Abdullah and Hamid stop
dilly-dallying and be serious about the intolerable state of rampant
crime in the country, jeopardising the security of Malaysians and
frightening away tourists and investors to Malaysia.
Let Malaysians get a clear-cut and forthright answer from Abdullah and
Hamid – are they going to honour the pledge to establish the IPCMC
immediately without any further delay?
Or is the IPCMC dead so long as there is a Barisan Nasional government
and the only way an IPCMC could be established is to have a Pakatan
Rakyat federal government?
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
http://dapmalaysia.org