Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that the Police Force Commission, which is constitutionally responsible for the appointment and emplacement of members of the police force, has backed a second extension of the service of Tan Sri Musa Hassan as the country’s Inspector-General of Police in September.
The commission comprise members who are top current and retired civil servants and the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Hishammuddin should present his case to the Malaysian public why he and the Police Force Commission backs Musa’s extension for IGP, when Musa has such a dismal record as the nation’s top police officer when judged by the Police Royal Commission Report which submitted 125 recommendations to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service with the three core functions to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.
One hundred reasons could be advanced why Musa should not have his extended term of IGP renewed in September as he had failed in all the three core functions spelt out by the Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights.
Can Hishammuddin’s reasons to support Musa’s extension as IGP so strong and incontrovertible that they can withstand the most rigorous public scrutiny or are they so weak and flimsy that Hishammuddin dare not make them public?
Bernama today reported Musa as saying that the police will give priority to stamping out street crimes, in line with the government commitment to reduce crime and corruption. He said drastic measures would be taken to address the problem to ensure public safety and security.
Why did Musa only wake up from what should be the No. 1 responsibility of the police when he is lobbying for another term of IGP?
Musa’s belated awakening of the urgent need to check and roll back the galloping crime in the country, particularly street crimes, is too little and too late – at least four years too late after the Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission Report in May 2005!
Let me refresh Hishammuddin and Musa to the Dzaiddin Royal Police Commission report in May 2005 which had expressed alarm at the “high incidence of crime”, when it noted:
“The incidence of crime increased dramatically in the last few years, from 121,176 cases in 1997 to 156,465 cases in 2004, an increase of 29 per cent. The increase seriously dented Malaysia’s reputation as a safe country. Malaysians in general, the business sector and foreign investors grew increasingly concerned with the situation. The fear was that, if the trend continues, there would be major social and economic consequences for Malaysia. A survey of 575 respondents from the public carried out by the Commission clearly demonstrates the extremely widespread concern among all ethnic groups and foreign residents. Between 82.2 per cent and 90 per cent of the respondents, or 8 to 9 persons in every 10, were concerned with the occurrence of crime.”
The Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission recommended an immediate action plan and target to reduce the incidence of crime by a minimum of 20 per cent within 12 months of the Report’s acceptance and implementation.
Instead of a reduction of a minimum of 20 per cent, i.e. bringing the incidence of crime to 125,172 cases in 12 months from 154,465 cases, crime galloped and shot past the 200,000 barrier to reach 209,582 cases in 2007 and 211,645 cases in 2008.
This means that in the four years from 154,465 cases in 2004, the crime index soared by 39% to reach 211,645 cases in 2008 – totally contrary to Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission target proposing a 20% reduction of the crime index within 12 months!
If this is not a failure, what is it? If IGP Musa is not to be held responsible for this failure, who else?
In September 2006, I had congratulated Musa for his appointment as IGP but he has failed the nation and people.
Musa is lobbying for another term of as IGP. Does he know or understand the concept of democratic policing, as enunciated in the Commonwealth Human Rights Report on Police Accountability in 2005 and the United Nations International Police Task Force Report 1996? But this is another long story and another sorry tale by Musa as IGP.
Is the Royal Malaysian Police so short of quality officers that there is not a single serving top police officer who could be entrusted with the baton of IGP?
#1 by SocratesPlato on Tuesday, 14 July 2009 - 2:42 pm
Although his time is up, it will be futile if any other guy by whatever name (Ali, Abu, Ahmad) takes the post. The crime problem in Malaysia will still be getting worse anyway. So, what difference does it make? Unless we get someone who is really clean from the force, which is IMPOSSIBLE.
#2 by the reds on Tuesday, 14 July 2009 - 2:58 pm
Kerismuddin’s son/daughter are oversea. Basically, he has no worries abt his familys’ safety. Why should he bother other rakyat’s safety, when Musa Hassan is so effective in helping him to tackle his political opponents?
All crime victims should come forward to demand a safer Malaysia!
#3 by Loh on Tuesday, 14 July 2009 - 6:41 pm
///the Police Force Commission, which is constitutionally responsible for the appointment and emplacement of members of the police force, has backed a second extension of the service of Tan Sri Musa Hassan as the country’s Inspector-General of Police in September.///– Kit
A second extension means that he has completed one year extension and continuing.
The Chief Justice can only be extended for up to six months. There must be a reason why the head of Judiciary should not be extended beyond 6 months. That same reason should apply to the IGP, the head of police force.
The country is run based on rule of law and not rule by person. So the system of government is the most important asset of the country, and the system of the institutions should be maintained. The person appointed to head the institution would be the best available at the time the vacancy exists, and the head of the institution has to observe the rules governing the appointment and retirement of its personnel.
The IGP might be extended on retirement when he is required to complete unfinished business, not because he is the best person around, or that the best of the potential successor could not fit his big shoe. That unfinished business should be cleared within 6 months of extension as for the extension of the Chief Justice.
The head of department should have worked out the succession plan well before his retirement. If he had been extended on the reason that succession plan had not been completed when he was due to retire, that unfinished business should be the top priority. One might recall that AAB took less than a year to arrange transition of power. In fact he only decided in September 2008 when he dared not contest the position of UMNO chief. AAB gave up the position of PM in six month; some might say that the next day after his announcement of no-contest. So the IGP cannot be trusted to do anything during the second extension what he did not do during the first. Even if the IGP is the best the country can offer, he has to leave at the end of his extension in September.
The Home Minister cannot claim that he is a new hand in job. He decided that the IPCMC should not be set up even when it was not his job concerning the running of the Home Ministry. He cannot demand the IGP to hold his hands. If that is what he needed, any other pairs of IGP hands would do.
The Home Minister is not very smart to support the second extension of IGP. There are many IGP-hopefuls, and why must Kerismuddin dampen the morale of those who aspire to serve the people and the government. If that is not out of self interest of what we do not know, then why did he do it?
#4 by -ec- on Tuesday, 14 July 2009 - 7:47 pm
“Explosion in CCID chief’s home, son killed”-The Star
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/14/nation/20090714122038&sec=nation
No speculation, but if this is one of the many crime scenes in the country, we should worry!
#5 by Woof on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 - 5:27 am
“The Home Minister is not very smart to support the second extension of IGP.”
It is the height of stupididy to suggest that it is not smart for the Home Minister to extend further the contract of the currnet IGP. They have their own agenda and this extension meets this agenda.
#6 by Better Malaysia on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 - 11:42 am
Not only had Musa had failed in his performance as IGP , the ordinary rakyat could no have faith in him when the Police violated the rakyat rights by simply arresting them without failure. My confidence level on him is zero especially his name is mentioned being involved in a few corrupted and/or politically motivated cases.
Let other police officers have a chance, Maybe YB KIT can have a survey to see how rakyat feels about this corrupted IGP.
#7 by ekompute on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 - 12:31 pm
Come on laaaa…. has Hishammuddin done anything smart so far? He has no ideology and no guiding principles, except trying to draw attention to himself with a lot of monkey antics like raiding Malaysiakini, raiding Malaysia Today, raiding this, raiding that, and waving the keris. He even wanted to bring a cangkul to dig his own political grave, so to speak. To me, he is not an intelligent man and he is where he is only because of his father. At least, Najib has shown that he is much much more intelligent than I ever gave him credit for.
(P/S: This new layout… not so used to it yet. I wonder why the comment box is so small while there is a lot of empty space on the right. Also, there is no review feature before posting, like what most forums have).
#8 by taiking on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 - 12:48 pm
Actually we are so safe that our police now no longer has anything better to do. Yeah. Why then do you think they went after candles bearer and people who wear black and those who assemble to express issues of national importance.
#9 by ekompute on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 - 1:26 pm
Elementary, Mr Watson. Because they are not an occupational hazard to catch than real criminals. My brother neighbour’s house was broken in and he called the police. The police says they don’t have any personnel to attend to it as they are short-handed. Half an hour later, the police called back to inquire whether the burglars have left. Guess they thought that the burglars would be waiting for them to be free before they (the police) attend to them. But at least, the police did call back to check, right?