‘We have proof top cops pally with crooks’

Top police officers have been involved in criminal activities, according to MyWatch, which claims to have the evidence.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force, or MyWatch, today claimed that it has in its possession evidence that top police officers are involved in criminal activities.

R Sri Sanjeevan, the chairman of the watchdog NGO, threatened to make public the information unless the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar agrees to meet with the group so that an open, high-profile investigation can be carried out immediately.

“We have all the evidence that top police officers are involved in money laundering, illegal gambling, prostitution, football bookies and have direct links with underworld figures and kingpins. Yet to date, there is no answer and no action by the IGP,” Sanjeevan said in a statement.

Sanjeevan also cited a case where a top police officer was given an “all-expense paid trip overseas to play golf with an underworld kingpin” as well as as one where “one senior police official’s son and daughter is working for a kingpin with special privileges”.

“Aren’t they [officers] obliged in some ways to them [kingpins]? Isn’t that conflict of interest?” asked Sanjeevan.

He said that Ismail cannot choose to keep quiet and must act without fear or favour against corrupt officers, which are now being slowly revealed by former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan.

“I again invite the IGP to meet with us so we can pass such evidence to him or we will be forced to make this information public. All police officers should be accountable for their actions and must have more sense of responsibility when dealing with crime or public,” said Sanjeevan.

Aside from Ismail, Sanjeevan urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, and the Home Ministry secretary-general Abd Rahim Mohd Radzi to respond to Musa’s past allegations.

Several bombshells

“Musa has clearly mentioned that there is meddling and interference by the Home Minister and the secretary-general into police matters. For example, giving direct instruction to state police chiefs, CID chiefs, and junior officers but since then there has been no answer by anyone.

“So [by keeping silent] I assume they silently ‘agreed’ to what we have revealed,” he said.

In recent weeks, Musa had dropped several bombshells, alleging that politicians have been interfering with police work and that criminal elements have infiltrated the force.

He also pointed out that there may have been cases of abuse of power at the top level when several senior policemen were transferred out for refusing to approve an “unsound” walkie-talkie project.

Musa also labelled Ismail a “yes man” and had urged the latter to be tough, revealing one example when Ismail allegedly cried after he was scolded for following the orders of former home minister Syed Hamid Albar to arrest a reporter under the then Internal Security Act (ISA).

Following these disclosures, several quarters have hit back at the former top cop, questioning Musa’s timing and credibility. They also brought up the “copgate” issue where Musa is alleged to have links to underworld figures.

Musa’s detractors included Hishammuddin, businessman Robert Phang, former KL CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim, former Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Ramli Yusuff and his lawyer Rosli Dahlan.

Responding to the attacks, Sanjeevan said that these are merely attempts to divert the NGO’s focus on crime, and threatened to take legal action against “those who continue to make false and malicious accusations”.

Strictly a NGO

He said that most of the allegations coming out against Musa are “old cases” which “Musa himself has clarified and answered previously”.

“Some of these allegations have been heard and cleared in court. Therefore it is not wise to talk about them anymore unless the cases are being re-opened for investigation,” he said.

Sanjeevan said that a suit against Phang, who alleged that MyWatch was being bankrolled by criminal syndicates, is being finalised.

On doubts raised on MyWatch’s political neutrality, Sanjeevan said that MyWatch is strictly a NGO and is not backed by any political party.

“Our focus will always be on rising crime rate, wrong-doings in the police force and assistance to victims of any crime,” said Sanjeevan, who is a PKR Negeri Sembilan Youth executive council member.

Meanwhile, Sanjeevan said MyWatch is expanding to states and districts with 200 new members joining.

He said that anyone can be a member or can be a whistleblower to highlight wrong-doings, adding that a hotline will be set up soon.