EXCLUSIVE For former Sabah police chief Ramli Yusuff, it is still not too late to improve security in Sabah, provided there is commitment by the security forces, including the police, army and the other relevant enforcement agencies.
Besides commitment to this, Ramli said, there must also becoordination in their efforts, the way he and the Armed Forces achieved before the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), which he described as a duplication of function, was established.
Ramli, who was Sabah chief police officer between 2001 and 2004, said everything was in order when he left Sabah.
Expressing unhappiness with the blooming of squatters and foreigners again, things that he had successfully reduced during his time, the former number three in the police force said the reason this was happening again was because of no proper control.
“There is no continuity. When I left everything was in order. But after I left, I don't know what happened. If there is no continuity, what do we do?,” he asked.
Ramli reminded that such lax in security should not be tolerated as this involved Malaysia's sovereignty.
“How, can someone allow people to come in, just like that? When they come to work here, they must come with proper documents,” he said.
“When I was there, doctors at government hospitals in the coastal areas complained they had to treat many illegal immigrants. We are paying for their medical fees, using they money from taxpayers.
“Some may argue that this may be done on humanitarian grounds, but what connotations will this bring when our own citizens are sidelined in getting medical treatment?” Ramli asked.
Don't be afraid to carry out responsibility
To the men in blue, he advised they should not be afraid of carrying out their responsibilities.
He said when he was Sabah CPO, nobody interfered with his job, not even then IGP Norian Mai, who knew that it was the responsibility of the person in charge the state. Ramli also had the backing of Chief Minister Chong Kah Kiat and Musa Aman.
“If not, why carry the ranks if you not up to it in taking up the responsibility?” he asked.
A strict disciplinarian and having served as the federal police deputy CID director at Bukit Aman for seven years, Ramli said when he was Sabah CPO, he would call the district police chiefs (OCPDs) directly to inquire on any rise in crime statistics.
“When I was in Sabah, and at Bukit Aman, the crime statistics or summaries of cases would arrive at my house every morning. I would make phone calls to the various district police chiefs, not to scold but to question increase in crime statistics. I would also inquire whether they needed extra help.
“If they do, I send a special team there to handle and assist the OCPD. I would also warn the various OCPDs to buck up and threaten them that they would be transferred out if they did not perform.
“When we work we must really work but when it comes to play then we do that,” he said, adding during his time, he had transferred officers who were not up to their mark.
With this stern warning, Ramli said the various district police chiefs cannot try and dupe him, as he was there before serving many years as an investigating and a prosecuting officer.
It was also during his term as Sabah police chief that former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader, Nur Misuari, was arrested off the coast in Sandakan after getting intelligence in late 2001,
Ramli regards his term as Sabah police chief as something that is not that different from his term as Bukit Aman deputy CID director.
“When in Bukit Aman I was looking after 14 states, in Sabah I was looking after 20 police districts,” he said.
Asked whether he had lesser police personnel at his disposal in 2001 compared with present day Sabah, Ramli replied that he was uncertain but insists whatever it was, he and his men got their jobs done.
Project IC
That is why he sees no reason for the police and security personnel, like the army, to improve security in Sabah, which had, among others, seen two kidnapping cases within several months of late and the incursion at Lahad Datu.
He does not accept the argument that Sabah's borders with the Philippines are too long and hence difficult to manage, as he had done that before and that those areas have been identified previously.
“It doesn't matter. It is all about intelligence. Intelligence is very important. Meaning to say, you must tell the district police to be more alert. Anything happen in your district you should know.
“We also have outposts in various areas, such as Pulau Mataking. I visited those places regularly to inspect security.”
To a question on the notorious Project IC, Ramli said he heard about it before going there, and in operations they checked thoroughly. If there was something suspicious, the immigrants were be sent back.
“We send them back irrespective if they have an IC and all that we check. They have to produce their birth certificate too. The checking is done by the Immigration. Immigration did everything then we decided, this is legal, and differentiate it from what is illegal. Simple,” he exclaimed.
Besides commitment to this, Ramli said, there must also becoordination in their efforts, the way he and the Armed Forces achieved before the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), which he described as a duplication of function, was established.
Ramli, who was Sabah chief police officer between 2001 and 2004, said everything was in order when he left Sabah.
Expressing unhappiness with the blooming of squatters and foreigners again, things that he had successfully reduced during his time, the former number three in the police force said the reason this was happening again was because of no proper control.
“There is no continuity. When I left everything was in order. But after I left, I don't know what happened. If there is no continuity, what do we do?,” he asked.
Ramli reminded that such lax in security should not be tolerated as this involved Malaysia's sovereignty.“How, can someone allow people to come in, just like that? When they come to work here, they must come with proper documents,” he said.
“When I was there, doctors at government hospitals in the coastal areas complained they had to treat many illegal immigrants. We are paying for their medical fees, using they money from taxpayers.
“Some may argue that this may be done on humanitarian grounds, but what connotations will this bring when our own citizens are sidelined in getting medical treatment?” Ramli asked.
Don't be afraid to carry out responsibility
To the men in blue, he advised they should not be afraid of carrying out their responsibilities.
He said when he was Sabah CPO, nobody interfered with his job, not even then IGP Norian Mai, who knew that it was the responsibility of the person in charge the state. Ramli also had the backing of Chief Minister Chong Kah Kiat and Musa Aman.
“If not, why carry the ranks if you not up to it in taking up the responsibility?” he asked.
A strict disciplinarian and having served as the federal police deputy CID director at Bukit Aman for seven years, Ramli said when he was Sabah CPO, he would call the district police chiefs (OCPDs) directly to inquire on any rise in crime statistics.
“When I was in Sabah, and at Bukit Aman, the crime statistics or summaries of cases would arrive at my house every morning. I would make phone calls to the various district police chiefs, not to scold but to question increase in crime statistics. I would also inquire whether they needed extra help.“If they do, I send a special team there to handle and assist the OCPD. I would also warn the various OCPDs to buck up and threaten them that they would be transferred out if they did not perform.
“When we work we must really work but when it comes to play then we do that,” he said, adding during his time, he had transferred officers who were not up to their mark.
With this stern warning, Ramli said the various district police chiefs cannot try and dupe him, as he was there before serving many years as an investigating and a prosecuting officer.
It was also during his term as Sabah police chief that former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader, Nur Misuari, was arrested off the coast in Sandakan after getting intelligence in late 2001,
Ramli regards his term as Sabah police chief as something that is not that different from his term as Bukit Aman deputy CID director.
“When in Bukit Aman I was looking after 14 states, in Sabah I was looking after 20 police districts,” he said.
Asked whether he had lesser police personnel at his disposal in 2001 compared with present day Sabah, Ramli replied that he was uncertain but insists whatever it was, he and his men got their jobs done.
Project IC
That is why he sees no reason for the police and security personnel, like the army, to improve security in Sabah, which had, among others, seen two kidnapping cases within several months of late and the incursion at Lahad Datu.
He does not accept the argument that Sabah's borders with the Philippines are too long and hence difficult to manage, as he had done that before and that those areas have been identified previously.
“It doesn't matter. It is all about intelligence. Intelligence is very important. Meaning to say, you must tell the district police to be more alert. Anything happen in your district you should know.
“We also have outposts in various areas, such as Pulau Mataking. I visited those places regularly to inspect security.”To a question on the notorious Project IC, Ramli said he heard about it before going there, and in operations they checked thoroughly. If there was something suspicious, the immigrants were be sent back.
“We send them back irrespective if they have an IC and all that we check. They have to produce their birth certificate too. The checking is done by the Immigration. Immigration did everything then we decided, this is legal, and differentiate it from what is illegal. Simple,” he exclaimed.
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