Police ranks for sale claim sparks calls for urgent revamp

Police ranks for sale claim sparks calls for urgent revamp

The allegation that a police officer had borrowed RM100,000 to purchase a promotion has sparked calls for a revamp of the police force.

“First we heard of MPs and politicians for sale and now police ranks?” exclaimed former law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Similarly, DAP lawmaker Charles Santiago said the allegation, if true, exposed another level of corruption and revealed that ranks are bought and not earned.

The pair were responding to a Malaysiakini report yesterday that a senior police officer is being investigated for making a death threat against a woman.

The woman claimed that the threat was made during an argument over the RM100,000 she had lent the deputy superintendent to facilitate his promotion to a superintendent.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Zaid recalled former inspector-general of police Abdul Hamid Bador's scathing claims of corruption and misconduct in the force just weeks before stepping down.



Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim

Hamid had also fired a salvo against the department's Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS) officers, whom he accused of covering up cases.

In view of the latest allegation, Zaid said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob must initiate a total revamp of the police force.

“Better still, appoint a new home minister. Get someone who can at least try to clean up the force. How much worse must it get before the government is willing to act?” he asked.

IPCMC needed

Meanwhile, Charles said the allegation of a senior police officer issuing a death threat further undermined the public's trust in the force.

Urging a revamp of the police force, the Klang MP underscored the importance of instituting an oversight mechanism.



Klang MP Charles Santiago

“We need the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to be set up without delay and not any other watered-down version.

“The prime minister has promised wide-ranging reforms. So I urge him to immediately look into putting together a group of experts to form the IPCMC,” he added.

Yesterday, several civil society organisations voiced their objections to the toned-down Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) bill.

They pointed out that in some instances, the IPCC, which is intended to address demands for the IPCMC, is worse than its predecessor - the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

The IPCMC was recommended in 2005 by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police.