MP SPEAKS The offer made on Twitter by the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar to PKR vice-president N Surendran, the Member of Parliament for Padang Serai - to accompany the police and risk experiencing first-hand a shootout with criminals and also to complete an agreement with an indemnity clause - is shocking to many of us.
It is shocking because it forgets the main issue in our oft repeated critique of the weaknesses in the Royal Malaysian Police Force - the lack of professionalism - a weakness which was included in the raison d’etre of the 2004 police royal commission of inquiry.
As such, the controversy surrounding the IGP's extraordinary and clearly unprofessional challenge to a Malaysian legislator belies the actual fear that all Malaysians have with regards to being safe from crime.
A fear that all of us share, regardless of political stripe and creed.
Dubious statistics, conflicting claims
After a spate of cold-blooded gang-related murders, the Home Ministry released a list of '49 known gangster groups' which we were told - ostensibly consisting more than 40,000 members. The new home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi blames the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance, which according to the minister, saw the reactivation of 266,000 criminals.
However, just a year ago, Zahid’s (left) predecessor denied claims that the recent spate of crimes were caused by former Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees.
Hishamuddin Hussein said, of the 1,476 EO detainees who were released early 2012, only four or 0.27 percent were reported to have been involved in crime again after their release.
And before too long, the mainstream media busied the masses with Zahid’s rendition, thereby justifying the reintroduction of preventive detention, through the recent amendments of the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (PCA).
Additionally, the Royal Malaysian Police once reported that the crime rate is on a downward trend since 2010 - even after the repeal of the preventive laws. In 2010, the police said that there was a 7 percent reduction, 2011 - a 9 percent reduction and between January to June 2012, a 5.13 percent reduction in the incidence of crime.
In fact, the government’s very own government transformation program reported that the overall index crime rate actually increased in the years when preventive detention existed; from 746 reported crimes per 100,000 people in 2006 to 767 in 2007, a rise of nearly 3 percent.
It is shocking because it forgets the main issue in our oft repeated critique of the weaknesses in the Royal Malaysian Police Force - the lack of professionalism - a weakness which was included in the raison d’etre of the 2004 police royal commission of inquiry.As such, the controversy surrounding the IGP's extraordinary and clearly unprofessional challenge to a Malaysian legislator belies the actual fear that all Malaysians have with regards to being safe from crime.
A fear that all of us share, regardless of political stripe and creed.
Dubious statistics, conflicting claims
After a spate of cold-blooded gang-related murders, the Home Ministry released a list of '49 known gangster groups' which we were told - ostensibly consisting more than 40,000 members. The new home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi blames the repeal of the Emergency Ordinance, which according to the minister, saw the reactivation of 266,000 criminals.
However, just a year ago, Zahid’s (left) predecessor denied claims that the recent spate of crimes were caused by former Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees.Hishamuddin Hussein said, of the 1,476 EO detainees who were released early 2012, only four or 0.27 percent were reported to have been involved in crime again after their release.
And before too long, the mainstream media busied the masses with Zahid’s rendition, thereby justifying the reintroduction of preventive detention, through the recent amendments of the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (PCA).
Additionally, the Royal Malaysian Police once reported that the crime rate is on a downward trend since 2010 - even after the repeal of the preventive laws. In 2010, the police said that there was a 7 percent reduction, 2011 - a 9 percent reduction and between January to June 2012, a 5.13 percent reduction in the incidence of crime.
In fact, the government’s very own government transformation program reported that the overall index crime rate actually increased in the years when preventive detention existed; from 746 reported crimes per 100,000 people in 2006 to 767 in 2007, a rise of nearly 3 percent.
By 2008, the same report claimed that index crime remained stable in 2008 - and may have eclined in 2009 - much due to government efforts that included (as of August 2009): increasing olice omnipresence, identifying hotspots, deploying Pasukan Gerakan Awam (PGA) and ela/JPAM personnel, more CCTVs, special courts for street crimes and improving the ellbeing and resources of the police - among others. Preventive laws were not part of the nitiatives introduced.
In fact, the norm for preventive laws, such as in the UK, US and Australia, to name a few, were to address the problem of terrorism; not gangsterism nor petty crimes. Malaysia stands out in this case as the government’s amendment of the Prevention of Crime Act to allow for detention without trial is to address criminals instead of terrorists.
Conveniently forgotten RCI
The question is, why are the authorities blatantly ignoring the 2004 royal commission of inquiry (RCI) headed by former lord president Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar specifically requesting for redeployment and retraining and overall increase in police facilities?
Despite the home minister’s previous claim that the police to the population ratio is currently at 1:700, the statistics have shown a much different number. With approximately 112,583 members of the police force, Malaysia, with a population of about 28 million, is well within the international standards for the police. However the percentage of police manpower tasked to combat crime is only at 18 percent.
How can any sane and rational leader outrightly ignore the existence of the RCI in relation to the recommendations to increase the rakyat’s confidence as well as the professionalism of the police force?
The raison d’etre of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was precisely to allow for oversight, prevent, detect and investigate corruption in PDRM. How can the minister then arbitrarily decide on policies and programmes without referring to the highest inquiry body on the subject of the police force and security?
As such I humbly submit a reminder to the home minister and to the IGP not to forget the main aim of all elected legislators, government agencies and other figures of authority of the country, which is to maintain peace, stability and security of our beloved country.
It is then incumbent on us to highlight the key weaknesses in any actions and programmes of the government - especially when giant loopholes exist in the statements made by government representatives - for such weaknesses would affect the state of security in the country.
MP, rakyat's right to question gov't
YB N Surendran, as well as every single Malaysian, has every right to request for the highest level of professionalism in the police force, and at the same time, has every right to be protected by PDRM without bias, without fear of threats and without request for indemnity.
I will not stand for my colleague to pursue such risky endeavours, especially when it is based on a knuckle-based challenge, devoid of principled and professional behaviour. YB Surendran, or any other members of parliament must not entertain such display of bias, uncouth and threatening behaviour - lest we all fall into the downward spiral of irresponsible conduct.
I would also urge the prime minister not to be too preoccupied with his party elections to the point he forgets to restore sanity and common sense among his cabinet members; and in turn ensure that the IGP retracts such irresponsible challenges and to meet us halfway in addressing weaknesses which was first highlighted by the RCI.
Ministers must make proper and accurate deliberations before pursuing any particular course of action. We should be Malaysia, not Umno-action oriented.
Conveniently forgotten RCI
The question is, why are the authorities blatantly ignoring the 2004 royal commission of inquiry (RCI) headed by former lord president Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and former inspector-general of police Hanif Omar specifically requesting for redeployment and retraining and overall increase in police facilities?
Despite the home minister’s previous claim that the police to the population ratio is currently at 1:700, the statistics have shown a much different number. With approximately 112,583 members of the police force, Malaysia, with a population of about 28 million, is well within the international standards for the police. However the percentage of police manpower tasked to combat crime is only at 18 percent.How can any sane and rational leader outrightly ignore the existence of the RCI in relation to the recommendations to increase the rakyat’s confidence as well as the professionalism of the police force?
The raison d’etre of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was precisely to allow for oversight, prevent, detect and investigate corruption in PDRM. How can the minister then arbitrarily decide on policies and programmes without referring to the highest inquiry body on the subject of the police force and security?
As such I humbly submit a reminder to the home minister and to the IGP not to forget the main aim of all elected legislators, government agencies and other figures of authority of the country, which is to maintain peace, stability and security of our beloved country.
It is then incumbent on us to highlight the key weaknesses in any actions and programmes of the government - especially when giant loopholes exist in the statements made by government representatives - for such weaknesses would affect the state of security in the country.
MP, rakyat's right to question gov't
YB N Surendran, as well as every single Malaysian, has every right to request for the highest level of professionalism in the police force, and at the same time, has every right to be protected by PDRM without bias, without fear of threats and without request for indemnity.
I will not stand for my colleague to pursue such risky endeavours, especially when it is based on a knuckle-based challenge, devoid of principled and professional behaviour. YB Surendran, or any other members of parliament must not entertain such display of bias, uncouth and threatening behaviour - lest we all fall into the downward spiral of irresponsible conduct.I would also urge the prime minister not to be too preoccupied with his party elections to the point he forgets to restore sanity and common sense among his cabinet members; and in turn ensure that the IGP retracts such irresponsible challenges and to meet us halfway in addressing weaknesses which was first highlighted by the RCI.
Ministers must make proper and accurate deliberations before pursuing any particular course of action. We should be Malaysia, not Umno-action oriented.
NURUL IZZAH ANWAR is MP for Lembah Pantai and PKR vice-president.
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