Selective prosecution won't help boost police image

YOURSAY 'Losing your temper like that in front of people who want to get information from you is not professional, no matter how you personally feel.'

IGP blows top over former Sabah CM's claim

Quigonbond: I don't see inspector-general of police (IGP) Ismail Omar being so indignant when mobsters stirred up trouble at Pakatan Rakyat ceramah, or when Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali threatened to burn the Malay bibles.

Where is his sense of patriotism in defending our democratic way of life? No one blames those brave police officers who are at the frontlines. Instead people are blaming the ministers in charge of our security forces for the failure of intelligence, and the prime minister for playing politics by pussy-footing around the Sulu invasion for three weeks.

The IGP obviously don't understand freedom of expression - he instructed the broadcast media not to televise his outburst. Since when the subject matter gets to instruct journalists how to do their job? They report as they see fit.

Mahashitla: I think the IGP needs to take a two-week break. It is times like this when a general or a leader is put to the test and sadly, but not being unpatriotic, our IGP has failed.

The IGP must get to the bottom to find out if such alleged actions by the police to destroy some ICs and identification papers belonging to the Sabah Suluks did happen or not. If it is true, then it should be stopped.

Remember, the IGP himself also held back information when earlier asked as to whether the bodies of our police personnel were mutilated. His answer then was that he had yet to receive the pathologist report.

In any situation, it is best to present a truthful report of the situation so as to kill off any rumour-mongering.

Gen2: "If the police are no good, tell me how to improve. If you have money, give the money so I can buy more weapons and cars, not say this and that," said an agitated Ismail.

He knows how to improve his men. The question is whether he has the guts or the brains to do it. You don't need money to do it. You just need to change the mentality of the entire police force to be people-centric and not political-master-centric.

Words like "PDRM is fair to all" sounds hollow and cheap and make you look less credible given the many instances of how the police treat supporters of the opposition.

As far as we, the public, are concerned, your table-banging is just play-acting. Be a good Muslim and do what is right according to the teachings of Islam not according to your bosses' political agenda.

AnakBangsaMalaysia: Ismail Omar said, "What we need now is patriotism. It's not a time for (criticism)."

Every single totalitarian regime throughout history has used the exact same excuse to justify the repression of civil rights in the name of 'patriotism'.

Our police and soldiers died because their leadership failed them at every level - failed to detect and stop the Suluk invasion even though they had been warned by local villagers a month in advance; failed to take the invasion of over 200 heavily-armed and experienced militants seriously; failed to respond promptly and decisively to what was unmistakably a military invasion of our country; and failed to discharge their responsibility to report to the citizens of Malaysia in a timely and transparent manner.

The regime's persecution of its critics is clearly intended to deflect attention from its failures.

Sali Tambap: Losing your temper like that in front of people who want to get information from you is not professional, no matter how you personally feel.

Besides it smacks of intimidation and you do not get brownie points for that. If the top dog cannot rein his emotion, what can we expect the lesser mortals in your staff contingent?

There have been many deaths while in police lock-up and you cannot blame the people for thinking that these may be the result of anger and frustration among the police personnel who are not up to discharging their duties professionally.

Jin Lama: Do the journalists need the police permission to write or broadcast the IGP losing his cool? Will they be charged with sedition for showing the IGP buckling under pressure?

What a poor display of poor leadership. Like many other Malaysiakinireaders have commented: If the IGP can't take the pressure, he should quit and let another person to do the job. All of us do appreciate the sacrifices made by our police and soldiers in Lahad Datu.

However, the problem is that the image of the police force has been badly tarnished by our unpleasant experiences with the policemen and women and their unprofessional behaviour, to say the least. Clean up the police image and you will gain better respect from the public.

Humblevoice: If the police are really that good, give us the IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission). The IPCMC will itself be a sufficient evidence for the rakyat that the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) is as good as what it claimed itself to be.

Conversely shunting IPCMC is a tacit admission that there is something seriously wrong with the PDRM. The RCI into the police force has indeed found something very wrong with PDRM and recommended the establishment of IPCMC.

That was eight years ago, and the people are still waiting. Until that is done, there is little hope that PDRM can gain the trust of the people again.

Cantabrigian: Ismail, you think you are the only one who is 'marah' (angry) when our police officers died under your leadership?

We, the rakyat, are angry because we care. We raise questions because we don't know what is actually happening when everything is done in secret, as if something fishy is going on.

For you to tell us to shut up is a mark of arrogance and an attempt to cover up. We shall not keep silent until we know the truth. - Malaysiakini