Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has provided another reason to the two I gave in Parliament yesterday when moving a censure RM10 salary-cut motion against him why he is not fit to continue as the top police officer in the country for another day.
This new evidence is provided by today’s New Straits Times front-page headlines of Musa’s speech yesterday, “Top cop blasts errant politicians”, which carried front-page quotes by Musa, viz:
“Don’t be role models for criminals, says IGP” and
“Politicians should be helping to build a better society instead of destroying it. If politicians do not respect the law, then criminals would do the same.”
I do not know about other politicians but I feel deeply offended by Musa’s smug and conceited statement for two reasons:
Firstly, responsible and principled politicians never hold themselves as models for criminals, as when we break the law or are held to have broken the law, it is not for any self-gain or profit like robbing public coffers or private wealth.
Does Musa regard Gandhi has having spent his whole life to be a “role model for criminals”, and if not, he should withdraw his offensive remark and apologise to all responsible and principled politicians in the country.
Secondly, it is very clear from Musa’s statement that he has not understood or accepted the thrust of the Royal Police Commission Report – to “make compliance with prescribed laws and human rights one of the three top priorities for PDRM”.
The Royal Police Commission, headed by former Chief Justice Tun Daziddin and former Inspector-General of Police, Tun Hanif Omar, in its Report, Chapter 10, Section 2.1.1 said:
“As the police are there to protect the human rights of the individual whilst maintaining law and order, making policing in Malaysia more compliant with prescribed laws and human rights standards must clearly be a supreme priority for PDRM, along with reducing crime and eradicating corruption. The Ministry of Internal Security, the proposed IPCMC and the leadership of PDRM must continue efforts to launch a comprehensive and sustained initiative that encompasses changes to policy, legislation, codes of ethics and conduct, directives and procedures and training to substantively enhance compliance.”
It is also clear that Musa has either forgotten or ignored the Royal Police Commission’s call for “a fundamental transformation in the character of policing in Malaysia from one that is too easily persuaded to seek recourse in extraordinary emergency laws and giving itself as much space (such as through long remand periods), to one that is sensitive and respectful of the rights of individuals”.
When Musa cannot see the fundamental difference between politicians who are trying to mainstream human rights to create a better Malaysia from big-time criminals, it is time that Malaysia has a new Inspector-General of Police who can provide the leadership to create an efficient, incorruptible, human rights-sensitive, professional world-class police service which can be the pride of all Malaysians.