Call by Musa to whistle-blowers to expose graft in police just not good enough as it can be no substitute for IPCMC

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliment, Saturday) :  The call by the new Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan to whistle-blowers to step forward to expose graft in the police is good publicity, given front-page headline treatment today by The Star, but it is just not good enough as it can be no substitute for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission designed to ensure that we have a clean, incorruptible, efficient, professional, human rights-sensitive world-class police service.

Musa welcomed whistle-blowers, including those from within the police force, to join in the fight against graft.

He said: �If you have concrete evidence against any police officer, even your superior, who abuses his power or is corrupt, you can come and see me. I can guarantee protection of the informant.�

Lets face it. If Musa is serious in wanting to eradicate corruption in the police force, he can set the personal example of taking action against police officers who are living beyond their means completely disproportionate to their lawful income sources, which he cannot be ignorant having risen all the way to be the No. 1 Policeman in the country.

If he cannot move personally against police officers who have a strong case to answer as to the legitimacy of the sources of their lavish lifestyles completely disproportionate to their known sources of income, he cannot be serious in wanting junior police officers to give information on corrupt practices of their superiors.

After the submission of the Royal Police Commission Report and its 125 recommendations to have a professional world-class police service with the triple objective to  reduce crime, fight corruption and uphold human rights, the then Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Bakri Musa attended the 25^th Asean Police Conference (Aseanpol) in Bali where he virtually declared war against corruption in the police force, as headlined  by the Utusan Malaysia front-page report �Hentikan rasuah � KPN� on 20^th May 2005.

Nothing has come out of it. Nor had  the introduction of  anti-graft badges on the uniform of police officers since November last year made any dent on the problem of corruption in the police service.

If Musa is seriously committed to combat corruption in the police service, and not just follow in the rhetoric of his predecessor, then he must demonstrate leadership by giving unstinting support for the immediate establishment of IPCMC, ending all negative police opposition to it although constructive proposals like the introduction of an appeal mechanism in the IPCMC system would be welcome even by MPs, regardless of political party.

(16/09/2006)