Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein gave an immediate response to my press conference in Parliament yesterday, when I had commented on the photograph of him and the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan “making up” which was given prominent coverage in all the media as mere show.

I said the two must not take Malaysians as four or five-year-old children who are gullible and would believe the photo-shoot as proof that all was well between the Home Minister and the Inspector-General of Police, as if what happened over the past few days and their statements never existed!!

I called on Hishammuddin and Musa not to have any “cover up” and to address the real issues concerned.

Hishammuddin accused me of exploiting the “purported rift” between him and the Inspector-General of Police, even saying that it was “not easy” for the Home Minister and the Inspector-General of Police “to act out things”.

I challenge Hishammuddin to have an opinion poll on the Home Ministry website whether the media photo of him and IGP as best of pals are genuine or just “for show”.

I have confidence that the overwhelming majority of over 95% polled would return the answer that it was just a show.

If the Home Minister and the IGP are the best of pals, can Hishammuddin explain why the IGP was not informed beforehand before he made the announcement on 15th March that Musa would be replaced as IGP when his retirement comes up in September?

In fact, for almost a week later, Musa had not been officially informed that he would not get another extension as IGP come September. This is obvious from Musa’s answer in the Mingguan Malaysia interview with the IGP dated 21st March 2010, viz:

“Q – Mungkin terdapat kemungkinan Tan Sri menyambung perkhidmatan selepas September depan?

“Musa – Itu saya tidak tahu. Saya tidak boleh bercakap apa-apa. Kena tanya kerajaan atau Perdana Menteri kerana beliau saja yang tahu.”

From this answer, it is clear that Musa has not taken Hishammuddin’s announcement as the last word, despite Hishammuddin’s statement that “I know who is going to replace the IGP. I know who will replace the commercial crime division director.”

It was Musa who talked about “a third force” which was by-passing the IGP and giving direct orders to the police behind his back without his knowledge, and that this “third party” could be politicians or certain individuals.

Musa must explain what he meant by this “third party” which had circumvented the IGP and undermined his authority – or is he saying that he had been misquoted by Mingguan Malaysia?

With the approach of Police Day this year, both Hishammuddin and Musa have been busy spinning about the achievements of the police in fighting crime.

In today’s press, for instance, Musa boasted a big dip in the crime index, amounting to 13.2% in the first two months of this year compared to last year.

Are both of them aware that this alleged 13.2% dip in crime index is not accompanied by any increase in public confidence in the police capability to keep the country safe from crime and the fear of crime for the people, investors and tourists?

One reliable indicator of public confidence in the police to free the people from the scourge of crime and the fear of crime will be whether in the first two months of this year, there has been an accompanying 13.2% in the dismantling of guarded and gated communities in the country – reflecting the return of Malaysia to greater normalcy like in the first four decades of Independence!

I dare say without fear of contradiction that in the first two months of the year, there is not only no dismantling of guarded and gated communities but a sharp increase in new guarded and gated communities – probably by more than 13.2%!