5-10-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Over a span of just ten weeks, a startling wave of misconduct within the ranks of the Malaysian police force has come to light. In a cascade of disgraceful revelations, close to 70 police personnel have been apprehended in connection with a series of alleged misdeeds that have reverberated throughout the nation.
The accused 70 officers find themselves embroiled in six distinct cases, spanning various regions including Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Perak, and Kedah. Their alleged transgressions encompass a litany of serious crimes, from abduction and theft to drug trafficking and drug abuse.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, divulged in a recent press statement that between January and July, 62 personnel faced expulsion from the force. Meanwhile, hundreds more incurred disciplinary actions for a spectrum of wrongdoings. The year 2022 bore witness to a drastic increase in dismissals, with 154 officers and rank-and-file personnel ousted from the 135,000-strong police force, marking a stark escalation from the 117 cases recorded in 2021.
The shockwaves of this crisis hit even closer to home on September 26, when five policemen, including an officer-in-charge of a police station (OCS), were arrested in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Their alleged crimes included abduction, wrongful confinement, and assault, further highlighting the magnitude of the issue. This incident occurred just a day after Ayob Khan had admonished police personnel, urging them to uphold their professional responsibilities and avoid abusing their authority.
He issued a stern warning that cases involving rogue police officers are mounting and emphasized the consequences that would befall senior officers who turn a blind eye to the transgressions of their subordinates.
Comm Datuk Seri Azri Ahmad, director of the Bukit Aman Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS), voiced the gravity of the situation, underscoring that such cases pose a significant threat to public trust and tarnish the reputation of the police force. Azri expressed the department’s commitment to swift action when such cases emerge, vowing no compromises. Upon receiving reports of misconduct, the first course of action is the removal of the offending officers from their positions, placing them at a distance from the public to prevent further abuse of power. Subsequent internal and criminal investigations are launched, contingent upon the nature of the offense.
Internal actions against errant police personnel may include suspension, removal from active duty, demotion, a halt in promotional opportunities, and salary reductions.
Criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy from Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre for Policy Research expressed deep concern over the surge in police misconduct and abuse of power in a little over two months. Sundramoorthy asserted that a zero-tolerance policy is imperative for rogue officers, and those who infringe the law must face resolute repercussions. Accountability, he noted, rests on the shoulders of department heads, underscoring the need for an independent commission to investigate cases involving police personnel. He further emphasized the importance of encouraging the public to report any unpleasant encounters with corrupt officers, as this would help restore trust and lead to more formal complaints.
The most recent case unfolded in Desa Petaling, where five policemen, including an inspector with alleged ties to gambling den syndicates, purportedly abducted a 26-year-old man on the orders of the syndicate’s leader before confining the victim at a police station. The victim, the caretaker of a gambling den, was reportedly seized from a restaurant, subjected to assault, and accused of pilfering over RM13,000. His employer demanded that he reimburse three times that amount.
Kuala Lumpur police chief, Comm Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid, attributed the incident to the absence of integrity among the suspects, asserting that they prioritized self-interest over their duty as law enforcement officers.
In another disheartening episode on September 18, four policemen, one with a prior criminal record for extortion, were apprehended for aiding two suspects in the theft of 40 meters of copper cables belonging to Telekom Malaysia in Taman Kanagapuram, Petaling Jaya.
On August 29, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission detained 37 police personnel, including officers, in Johor for accepting kickbacks and tampering with urine samples meant for drug abuse testing since 2018.
On August 19, 15 policemen were arrested in a raid, alongside two public prosecutors, for misconduct after patronizing an entertainment establishment in Seremban.
August 10 bore witness to the arrest of a 32-year-old policeman from the Seberang Perai district police headquarters for drug trafficking in Sungai Petani, Kedah, as he was found in possession of over five kilograms of syabu.
On July 8, six policemen, who were apprehended at an entertainment outlet in Ipoh, tested positive for drug abuse. The Bukit Aman raiding party also seized drugs from the individuals in question, further underlining the gravity of the situation.
