Ramli: Men disappointed with tribunal rejection

As the police force celebrates its 205th anniversary today, the sadness felt by a senior police officer and his men was strongly felt when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak last night rejected their calls for a tribunal to probe attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and former IGP Musa Hassan.

The group of police officers had their rank, promotion, and wages suspended after they were allegedly wrongly charged over an investigation that then Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum had ordered, on directions of the cabinet.

They had ended up being implicated in the investigation, that was meant to curb the illegal loanshark and syndicate menace that unfortunately is still plaguing Johor today.

As a result of being charged with fabrication, these police officers have had difficulty making ends meet; some had to secretly moonlight as taxi drivers at night just to earn enough to support their families, as their wages had been suspended by half.

Following Najib’s rejection for a tribunal yesterday, former Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Ramli Yusuff (right) told Malaysiakini in an immediate response that henceforth, the police force, and possibly the army too, will work in constant fear knowing that certain quarters are being protected by powerful individuals.

“The police and the army are supposed to be neutral and take care of the security of the country without fear or favour. They will now think twice about making a decision or using their discretion, even though the orders come from the higher-ups," said the former top cop.

“Why should they follow their bosses’ instructions if they are going to end up being charged for abuse, or in this instance for fabrication?

“This stigma will affect enforcement agencies. My boys and I have spent quite a lot to clear our names. Some have to drive a taxi at night (discreetly) in order to make ends meet,” he said.

'All of us cleared of all charges'

Ramli lamented that no one had lifted a finger to help them, not even the government.

“My pension and my gratuity is still being withheld since 2008. At this age, I still have to work hard," said Ramli, who has just turned 60.

“All of us had been cleared of all the charges against us without our defence being called. I was acquitted and discharged by nine different judges.

“The charges were trumped-up, and there was no basis for them to charge my boys and I,” he told Malaysiakini almost in tears.

Six of Ramli’s men were charged by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for fabricating evidence in 2007.

Ramli who was once labelled the RM27 million cop, faced several charges by the ACA in Sabah and Kuala Lumpur that same year.

Besides Ramli, then army general Brig-Gen (Rtd) Mohamad Yasin Yahya, who was allegedly taken by Ramli on a Royal Malaysian Police Cessna Caravan aircraft for a aerial surveillance of two lots of land in Ulu Tungku, Lahad Datu, Sabah, had to face a perjury charge in the Sabah trial but he was later acquitted.

During the judgment in Ramli's Sabah case for alleged abuse of power, the Sessions judge rejected Musa's testimony as untrustworthy. 

My officers have suffered

Ramli had been acquitted of all charges by the Court of Appeal without his defence being called.

“From the beginning, I have said I have been fixed and since then, I have been cleared by all the courts in the country from the Sessions Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

“If Abdul Gani and Musa (right) face what I had faced in court or in a tribunal, can they confidently say they can be equally cleared?

"Is it because there is no guarantee they will be cleared that that is why the system (tribunal) is being circumvented?" he asked.

Ramli said following his men being charged, he had also helped support them financially and get them lawyers to defend themselves.

He said it was on his conscience that his officers had to suffer over his instructions to tackle the crime syndicates.

“I want to show that we are responsible officers protecting their junior officers.

"One day, it may happen that a general cannot control his subordinates and this would create a situation of a general without an army, because the chain of command is not being followed.

"The present IGP (Ismail Omar), DIGP (Khalid Abu Bakar) and most of the directors had worked with me before, and they know my style (of leadership),” he said.

Why Najib's reluctance?

It has been reported that during the course of the investigation into the syndicates, Ramli had stumbled upon the alleged involvement of his boss, then IGP Musa, with underworld kingpin Goh Cheng Poh or Tengku Goh.

Questions remain as to why the police task force headed by Ramli was subsquently suspended and its members charged, while Musa and deputy internal security minister Johari were cleared.

During the course of Tengku Goh's habeas corpus application, the attorney-general did not defend Ramli and his men, including Johari. The latter group had to seek a lawyer's service to draft the necessary affidavits in reply. 

Najib (left in photo) had yesterdayrejected the call for a tribunal, saying there was insufficient evidence in the matter.

Questions remain regarding Najib's decision, especially when both Abdul Gani and Musa are faced with suchserious allegations.

Perhaps former Kuala Lumpur CID (Criminal Investigation Department) chief Mat Zain Ibrahim, who is another individual willing to testify over Abdul Gani and Musa's alleged misconduct, hit the nail on the head.

He said Najib's answer was expected as the PM does not want a tribunal lest other information held by the two former top cops be exposed in the process.