Media Comment by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 29^th April 2010: 

Malaysia needs a new IGP now after Musa Hassan committed gross insurbodination for the second time with threats to call police off the streets and not to enforce the law

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has committed gross insurbodination for the second time when he threatened to call police off the streets and not to enforce the law in retaliation against the firestorm of public outrage at the trigger-happy police killing of 14-year old Form III student Aminulrasyid Hamzah some 100 metres from his Shah Alam house in the early hours of Monday.

Star online today under the headline “IGP hits out at critics over shooting of teenager” reported:

KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has hit out at those criticising the force over the death of 15-year-old Aminulrasyid Amzah, saying he could call his men off the streets if that was what the people wanted.

"If you do not want the police to enforce the law, then say so," he said.

"I can tell my men to not take any action, including conduct inspections on vehicles or arrest Mat Rempit who ride without licences," he told reporters after launching a blood donation drive at the National Blood Bank in conjunction with the 203rd Police Day celebrations here Thursday.

He was responding to statements by various groups over the death of Aminulrasyid, who was shot dead when he allegedly tried to reverse the car he was driving into policemen who had stopped the vehicle in Section 11, Shah Alam.

This is a most disgraceful statement from the IGP as it tantamounts to an open and public insurbodination against the Malaysian people who pay for his salary.

This is not the first time as Musa was involved in the public challenge of the previous Prime Minister threatening a police revolt if the proposal of the Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission to set up an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional and world-class police service was implemented.

All over the world, developed nations are graduating to the concept of democratic policing subjecting the police forces to principles of public responsibility and accountability but this is clearly very alien to Musa.

Musa has overstayed his welcome as IGP. Important sectors of society, including a parliamentary roundtable, had been opposed to the extension of his contract as IGP and their reservations and objections have now been vindicated with the threat by Musa to call police off the streets and not to enforce the law.

Shouldn’t he first resign as IGP?

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein should declare whether he had given the “green-light” to Musa to make such an outrageous statement and threat and what action he proposes to take to discipline Musa.

Musa’s threats today have transgressed acceptable and tolerable limits and is a great disservice to the majority of police personnel who are disciplined, conscientious and hardworking.

The country cannot wait until September when Musa’s tenure expires. Malaysians need a new IGP who can inspire public confidence in the professionalism of the police force to fight crime and restore to Malaysians their two fundamental rights to be free from crime and the fear of crime.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor