Deputy IGP: Police involvement in businesses will not create problems

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Mazlan Mansor (photo, above) said the force’s involvement in businesses through the Royal Malaysia Police Cooperative Berhad (KPD) and its subsidiary KOP Mantap Bhd does not create a conflict of interest and corruption.

He said the police are ready to meet the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center), which had raised concern on the matter recently.

”KPD was formed under the Cooperative Act 1963, and there are by-laws to ensure nothing will lead to the issues raised by the NGO," Mazlan told the media at Kuala Lumpur International hotel today.

Recently, C4 Center executive director Cynthia Gabriel said that the police's business joint ventures and partnerships with private entities and individuals create a huge grey area. 

”The conflict of interest becomes inevitable when law enforcement agencies are involved in businesses. It creates opportunities for abuse of power and leads to corruption,” she said.

Mazlan said police welcomed the C4 Center to meet them if the latter is not clear about the police's cooperative.

”If they don't understand, they can come to see us. It's good if they come forward and we will provide a clearer explanation to them," Mazlan said.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, in a speech during the closing of KPD's annual meeting, said the cooperative ranks seventh in the 100 best co-operatives in Malaysia list. 

He said last year, KPD's revenue after tax for last year was RM62 million, compared to RM48.9 million in 2017.

As of April this year, the 91-year-old cooperative has 102,420 members. - Mkini