First urgent motion knocked out — no debate on Internet allegations of top cop corruption

The Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah has rejected the first of my three urgent motions this week to get Parliament to be relevant and debate issues of grave public importance.

My first urgent motion to debate Internet allegations of top cop corruption was chucked out on the ground that it was not urgent, that the Anti-Corruption Agency was investigating, although it is not clear whether the Speaker was referring to the allegations against the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Johari Baharom or the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

The subject of my urgent motion was – serious allegations of corruption and abuses of power against Johari and Musa on the Internet by both named and anonymous websites, and the failure to take satisfactory action to protect government credibility, integrity and authority.

There was no explanation why there was prompt investigation in the case of the RM5.5 million “Freedom for Sale” allegations against the Deputy Internal Security Minister for releasing three men held under the Emergency Ordinance although it was from anonymous websites, but no sign of any investigation in the case of serious and specific corruption allegations against the Inspector-General of Police although made by a known Internet source — on the Malaysia-Today news portal by Raja Petra Kamaruddin in his series “The Corridor of Power”.

This is all the more regrettable as the former Inspector-General of Police, Tun Hanif Omar was reported in the Sun today, “Act if allegations untrue, says Hanif”, telling Musa to “take action if the allegations are untrue”.

The Sun reported:

Former IGP Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar said today Musa should be concerned about recent allegations highlighted in a political website as the credibility of the police force will be damaged by such allegations.

“Police work requires credibility and public perception of the police’s ability and willingness to function is extremely important,” Hanif told reporters at a press conference following his induction as an honorary member of the Pudu Rotary Club.

“Thus, the management of public perception of the police force is very important.”
Two weeks ago, it was alleged in a political website that gambling, loan-sharking, drugs and human trafficking in the peninsula was rampant as the authorities have been corrupt and turning a blind eye to such activities.

Asked whether Musa should come out to clarify the allegations, Hanif, who was IGP for 20 years, said:

“I will leave that to him and what he considers important or not. That is a question of perception.

“The IGP, surely, must be concerned if it is being damaged by something like this openly and if the allegations are not true, action should be taken,” he told reporters

Hanif said inaction might cause people to take these allegations as being true and they might believe that the extent of corruption is the root of the problem.

“We may keep on tightening the laws but effective enforcement of the laws is the key (to solve the problems),” he said.

In his column in an English newspaper on Sunday, Hanif who had described the allegations as “exceptionally defamatory” and that ” it won’t not do for the maligned authorities to merely wish them away”.

This is what Hanif wrote in his Sunday Times column “Point of View” entitled “THROW OUT THE BAD APPLIES” –

I have no time to go to the webblogs but last Thursday a friend told me about the contents of a recent blog that sent shivers up his spine. It is about the alleged extent of organised crime in gambling, loan-sharking, drugs and human trafficking in many states in the peninsula, and the authorities are allegedly ignoring the activities.

The contents are exceptionally defamatory and it won’t do for the maligned authorities to merely wish them away. Every day, more people will read them and say here is the evidence that the US State Department was right in placing us among countries with the worst human trafficking problems.

They will also believe that the extent of corruption is behind the problem. Our Foreign Minister should read them and make certain they are not true or otherwise take it up with the Cabinet.
The burgeoning corruption culture in our country has not really abated, according to some of my friends. One said: “It’s still business as usual. They don’t even bat an eye-lid; it’s one or two per cent, that’s their demand.”

One Datuk from whom I had not even solicited an opinion suddenly turned to me and said: “Nothing has changed.”

Wow, that’s the opposite of Heraclitus’ Panta rei (everything changes)!

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Corruption,” he said. “It costs a lot of money just to network with them and even then you are not yet certain of obtaining approval. To get the approval will cost a lot more. So, how can bumiputra businessmen with a small capital survive? Only the loaded who can throw their money around will get the approvals and become richer.”
So, my friends, which one of you said that corruption is a victimless crime?

I do not think many will buy Hanif’s claim that he had not visited Malaysia-Today to read Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s two write-ups. But that is beside the point, as it is Hanif’s advice to Musa that the IGP must act that matters.

What Musa should do is to publicly welcome and support the establishment of an independent panel of investigations into the serious allegations of corruption and abuses of power against top police officers, including himself.