'Malaysian police are not up to mark': THIRD WORLD FORCE IN FIRST WORLD NATION?

Malaysian police are not up to mark, they lack accountability, have become too used to being a "force unto themselves" and see little need to reform despite piling complaints of corruption, abuse of power, unjustified shootings, brutality and a soaring list of unexplained deaths at the lockups.

That was the no-holds-barred verdict delivered by officials of global watchdog Human Rights Watch following last week's release of a 102-page report titled "No Answers, No Apology: Police Abuses and Accountability in Malaysia".

"Malaysia is too modern to have a police force like this. It is a third world unit in a country that aspires to be a first world nation," Phil Robertson, HRW's deputy Asia director, told Malaysia Chronicle.

Reform lip service?

Robertson also dropped a bombshell, revealing that the Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar, had backed out of a meeting over the HRW report findings and recommendations.

The Malaysian top cop had tried to play down the blunt commentary of report, assuring concerned citizens that police leaders were open to criticism and willing to meet critics as part of ongoing efforts to reform.

However, when Robertson arrived at the police headquarter in Bukit Aman at 4pm, he was ushered into a meeting room with "5 or 6 other senior officers".

"Immediately, they attacked us, said our report was wrongly based, accused us of being unethical for publishing our findings without going to speak to them first although we could show them a clear methodology," said Robertson.

"But unfortunately they did not want to listen. It was disastrous. Instead of a discussion of recommendations, they were too angry and it became a meeting of anger and allegations."

A growing drag on national resources and integrity

The critical report comes as the Southeast Asian country's police force comes under the international spotlight for leading a criminal investigation into the disappearance last month of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner with 239 people on board.

The HRW report documented multiple accounts of suspects who died, were tortured in custody or were shot by police, despite witness accounts that the victims were unarmed. There were 231 custodial deaths between 2000 and May 2013, the government told parliament in June 2013.

It also contained 3 main clusters of recommendations including the adoption of independent monitors or oversight mechanisms such as an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) or Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) to manage transparency and accountability.

Robertson warned that should police leaders and the Malaysian government continue to remain in denial mode, the rot in the country's key security institution will erode public confidence both locally and internationally, hindering national ambitions to become a developed country.

"Steps need to be taken to bring Malaysian government practice into compliance with international legal standards. Malaysia’s police are not accountable to anyone but themselves, and ordinary people across the country too often pay the price with broken bodies and tragically shortened lives," said the HRW deputy Asia director.

"Malaysians deserve better. So far, there is a distinct lack of political will from both the police and Putrajaya to introduce reforms for the police force.  As long as that kind of mentality continues, it is going to be very difficult to see how things can go forward." - Malaysia Chronicle