KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today that while the government welcomes any civilian effort to combat crime, they must act within the ambit of the law and cannot do as they please.
He said the public should not challenge the authorities when it comes to law enforcement, stressing that this is the only way the country can maintain peace and security.
“There was a group that wore uniforms and gave themselves ranks... they committed an offence. Anyone who commits an offence in the eyes of the law, must accept the fact that the rule of law must prevail,” Najib said today, without naming the group.
“We cannot allow anyone to do as they please,” he added in his speech after presenting national medals of honour to police, military and civilian personnel involved in Ops Daulat.
The police recently launched a crackdown on the Penang Volunteer Patrol Unit (PPS) after Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar declared the group illegal.
A total of 156 people including two Penang state lawmakers were roped in over a two-day period in relation to the unit, with the bulk of them detained right after they participated in a Merdeka Day parade on August 31.
The arrests and preceding warnings by the police sparked a media war between Khalid and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, with the latter challenging the top-cop to a public debate on the legality of the volunteer corp.
Following the crackdown, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the police are also eyeing Islamist party PAS’s Unit Amal volunteer corp as it is considered to be of the same status as PPS – prompting PAS leaders to warn that they will “rise” if action is taken.
Najib today said the onus is on the rakyat to reach out to the authorities and work out the best way they can contribute to society through discussions and negotiations.
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He added that the public should not resort to challenging or threatening the authorities when their actions are criticised.
“Whatever we want to do, we can find the best way to do it based on discussions and negotiations but not by challenges or threats, or debating out in the open... what more if you are representing the administration.
“I believe the police would welcome any party that wants to contribute, but it must be based on rule of law,” he said.
The PPS controversy cropped up sometime last week after a 51-year-old man lodged a police report claiming that he was assaulted by PPS volunteers.
Following the report, Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders demanded that the unit be put on ice while Malay rights group Perkasa lodged police reports asking for a probe into PPS’s activities.
Putrajaya has insisted that state administrations do not have the power to create such groups, as security and defence remain the sole prerogative of the federal government.
The timing of the PPS crackdown coincides with an on-going sedition blitz where three opposition politicians and one academic have so far been charged on separate counts, in what has been described as a concerted effort to silence government critics. -Malay Mail
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