Stop ‘criminal group in uniform’ from controlling country, says group

 

EDICT says any internal probe by Bukit Aman cannot be independent with the cartel having infiltrated all departments within the police force. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A rights group has called for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the alleged criminal cartels within the police force, after an explosive claim by the inspector-general of police (IGP) that there were “dirty cops” trying to humiliate and topple him.

Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (EDICT) said such an independent inquiry could identify the “parasites” within the police force.

IGP Abdul Hamid Bador was recently reported saying that younger, mid to senior police officers were behind “a cartel of dirty cops”, whose primary goal was to dominate the force and the police hierarchy in the future through promotions.

“EDICT believes that the police cartel has infiltrated all departments in the police force, and hence, an independent body such as an RCI ought to be formed to investigate and find out who these cartel members are,” it said in a statement.

The group also reminded the government that the Independent Police Complaints of Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is the ideal long-term solution to wipe out the cartels as alleged.

“The government cannot expect the police officers to investigate themselves, since these cartels appear to have controlled certain departments in the force.

“If the government does not care about the revelation made by the IGP, then we fear that this country could be controlled by a criminal group in uniform that can affect the harmony of the country. This will be disastrous.”

On Wednesday, Hamid revealed that there was a cartel of young police officers within the force conspiring to get rid of him.

“These officers, they gathered and discussed ways to get their colleagues to rise up (against me) and they discussed bad things.

“So I ask them to repent. When you are 60, you will hang your blue uniform. After that nobody will be afraid of you, and at that time, I hope you don’t regret,” he was reported as saying.

Hamid, 62, was appointed IGP on May 4, 2019, and his contract ends on May 3. - FMT