IGP Ismail Omar is Turning Himself into Another Musa Hassan

Newly minted IGP Ismail Omar is quickly making himself useful to th establishment. His officers have hauled up Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua for questioning. He was being investigated under the Sedition Act for suggesting that the bumiputra discount for luxury residential property be abolished.

Pua said the investigating officer also used an Utusan Malaysia report, published on July 27 under the heading Cadangan Ahli Parlimen PJ Utara kepada kerajaan Selangor - Mansuh diskaun bumiputera, as reference in investigation.

It is believed that the police will be calling up Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim too on the same matter.

This is precisely why the Home Ministry only promotes an officer nearing retirement to helm the top position. It is definitely easier to control and manage a top police officer who depends on an employment contract than one who does not depend on the government for a contract renewal. Ismail is quick enough to understand where he stands.

Soon after succeeding Musa, he announced a three-point pledge. First point was working within the scope of authority provided for the force under the law. The second was on the services provided to the public and the third was on maintaining law and order.

I would like to add a fourth and a fifth. Fourth, the police force should respect the constitutional rights of all individuals. To do so, they should be well versed with the federal constitution. Hence, it is a mandatory for all police officers including Ismail to undergo a course in the federal constitution. Perhaps, the MyConstitution team can provide free lessons to the police officers nationwide.

If the police officers are well enlightened and professional, they should have not wasted their valuable time on Tony and Khalid. It is a fact that there is no specific mention on 'Ketuanan Melayu' or Malay supremacy in the constitution. There is no provision on the property purchase discount for Bumiputera buyers in the constitution. In fact, the terms 'Bumiputera' and 'social contract' are political creatures created by unscrupulous racist politicians.

Finally, the police should avoid being dragged into the political contestation between the two coalitions. The generosity of the police towards organisations such as Umno and Perkasa cannot help but prompted a lot of observers to link them with the establishment. We need a thinking police force and not one which is only interested to protect the interest of the IGP.

The last thing that PDRM want is for the people to make a connection of them with the dreaded Kempeitai during the Japanese occupation.

The Kempeitai were the Japanese military police who took over the control of the local police. They were responsible to seek out subversive elements, making use of informers, spies and generally keeping their ears and eyes wide open for anti-Japanese activities such as listening to the BBC or assisting communist guerrillas.

PDRM should work for the people and not any political parties.

Why waste time on Tony and Khalid and destroy the institution's credibility at the same time?

courtesy of Straight Talk