Ex-IGP says ministers meddle with investigations

The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR | Nov 28, 2012

Tan Sri Musa Hassan today accused Cabinet ministers and politicians of regularly trying to interfere with police investigations and arrests when he was serving as Inspector-General of Police ― a practice that continues even now.

Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010, named Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein as one of the politicians but suggested at a press conference today that his refusal to indulge them had resulted in the government’s decision not to renew his contract.

“There are certain misgivings from police officers who said that they received instructions not from (their police superiors) but from the Home Ministry.

“Even the ministry can issue instructions now … Who is in control now?” Musa asked at a press conference here.

Musa then quoted Section 4(1) of the Police Act, which states that police orders must only come from the IGP, who will be liable for such instructions.

“I was informed even a Secretary-General can direct CPOs (Chief Police Officers) and (ask them to) report back to him. So, who is in charge of the police now?

“Command and control … over the police force should be under the IGP. No other person can issue instructions.”

The former top cop refused to name any names, but stressed that he had received such instructions from ministers, deputy ministers and politicians, as well as even from the opposition.

“Whenever I arrest some crooks, who are involved in illegal activities, there will be phone calls from the top.

“I still remember … an opposition MP used to come to my office. He brought with him a bundle of summons (to settle). I said Tan Sri … you were (among those) who passed the law in Parliament.

He also took aim at his successor, Tan Sri Ismail Omar, suggesting the latter was a yes-man who bowed to politicians’ influence.

“You read the papers. Sometimes, you hear (politicians say) “I directed the police to do this … to do that,” Musa replied, when asked to list down orders given to the current IGP.

“(Ismail) is a good man, but being a good man alone and to become popular, is not a criterion to be an IGP. You need to be tough.

“Sometimes, you have to be vocal (to) your superiors. When it is not right … don’t just say yes.

“If the IGP is a yes-man, he will the best IGP in the world. If he is vocal, he will be a very bad IGP and he will have a lot of allegations against him,” he joked.

The former top cop described his working relationship with Hishammuddin as cordial, but the Home Minister did not see eye-to-eye with him on the command of the police force.

“When I found out that instructions were given to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police District) without my knowledge, then something was wrong.

“So, I highlighted to him Section 4(1) of Police Act … command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister.

“I talked to him nicely, he didn’t like it … that’s why (my tenure) was not extended,” Musa claimed.

Tan Sri Musa Hassan served as the IGP for three years before retiring on September 13, 2010, after a corruption case that was closed in July 2007 for lack of evidence.

The press conference today was organised by Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch), a crime watchdog NGO who had claimed that they will “challenge any statistics that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) comes out with”.

The NGO claimed that they have the “real” crime statistics from the police force, which they said are “manipulated” before their release to the public.

MyWatch also claimed to have evidences of alleged links between high-ranking police officers and underworld kingpins.

They plan to release their revelations in stages, starting from next week, if PDRM continues to refuse working with them.