Gobind: Are cops and the MACC protecting each other?

KUALA LUMPUR: Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) delivered a stinging attack in the Dewan Rakyat today on what he claimed was a lack of action against high-ranking officials involved in crime.

In his tirade, he singled out 1MDB, the Ops Gopi crackdown and a video which alleged a top Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer of having a tryst with a married woman.

Ops Gopi was the anti-graft crackdown on vice and gambling centres in Melaka that began in May and which saw several police personnel being detained.

During the Budget 2018 debate speech, Gobind asked why there was no action taken in cases that involved high-ranking officers.

“Why is there no action against 1MDB until today? Police say they submitted the investigation papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on April 12, 2017, and the ex-inspector-general of police had concluded the investigations into 1MDB.

“How long do we need to investigate this case and why is it going back and forth? From the police to the AG (Attorney-General) and then from the AG to the police again? Why can’t we resolve this case? This case is of international interest and there should be a decision.

“On Ops Gopi, what happened to the internal inquiry into the police officers in Melaka who were arrested by the MACC? These officers were said to have been protecting gambling dens. Why is there no action taken?

“The Star newspaper said top cops help to protect gambling dens. The remand was obtained and the suspects remanded for six days. There were also links to Bukit Aman. This was reported in the papers, MACC has taken action, but what has happened after that?

“Who are these top officers in Bukit Aman? Why are there double standards when action is taken so fast against normal folk and you often see their pictures in the orange uniform in the media?

“Is there a cover-up in Ops Gopi because it has links to top cops and was the statement of the ex-IGP taken?” Gobind asked a quiet Dewan Rakyat.

He continued to ask why there was silence on the video that allegedly involved MACC chief Dzulkifli Ahmad.

“We are members of Parliament and we formed the MACC Act. We want those who are credible, have integrity and are capable to lead the agency.

“Is there a cover-up when MACC investigates police and then the police investigate MACC? What is going on?

“The IGP is silent on the matter, the AG is silent and MACC is silent and doesn’t want to answer if he (MACC chief) is the one in the video.

“Are other cases are suspended in MACC because of this video? Are there other videos? We need answers, is this not a serious case? Why are the police dragging their feet?

“What is happening to Malaysia?” he asked.

Gobind brought up another case that involved a deputy minister who was shown on CCTV recordings of a gang-related attack at the office of the Tamil Malar Daily.

“The sports deputy minister was seen joining a group believed to be from MIC. They raided this media office, where punches were thrown and even a lady was attacked.

“But until today no action has been taken against the deputy minister who is the Tapah MP. Why no action? He should give a personal explanation to Parliament on his actions. What is BN doing when their deputy ministers are going around behaving like this, what do I tell people when I meet them?”

He said the new Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun had clearly failed his new test.

“This IGP has been shown to be the weakest. He is completely incapable of doing anything. He must now prove himself and we want to see him work. Explain why action has not been taken?”

G Manivannan (PKR-Kapar) stood up and said he found Gobind’s statement about the police investigating MACC and MACC investigating the police, as intriguing.

“Does this mean the police are compromising with MACC and vice-versa on their cases?”

This prompted Gobind to say that he had brought up these points as an MP to make sure the country’s institutions had integrity.

“The people look at these big cases and then ask what happens to these big cases that involve the police. People will lose confidence in the system. We have to be strict and make sure the heads of these departments are capable of doing their job.

“What happens to the low-ranking officers that are the ones that actually do the job in these departments? They go out and do their jobs and then no action is taken, what happens to their morale?

“If these officers don’t toe the line, they are transferred, demoted or even asked to resign. When they see the law applies to them but not to their superiors, how do you expect them to have the morale to carry on?” -FMT