KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Outgoing Malaysian police chief Abdul Hamid Bador has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate elements of alleged corruption among “political frogs”.
The Inspector-General of Police said such occurrences were allegedly rampant in politics.
“I combat corruption in the police force but I see elements of corruption everywhere in politics.
“(Leaders) who are power crazy and ready to buy others and threaten them (if they refused to be bought). That is corruption,” he told his last press conference at police headquarters in Bukit Aman on Friday (April 30).
Tan Sri Hamid urged the MACC to take action.
“The people are sick of ‘frogs’ jumping here and there,” he said.
He also hoped alleged corruption in politics could be curbed as he is worried about the state of the police force.
“What is clear is (if political corruption is not curbed), police will be used to achieve political aspirations,” he added.
In the no-hold barred news conference with Malaysian media editors, he said the Police Force Commission (SPP) should not be chaired by a minister in order to prevent any political interference.
“A minister should focus on matters involving policies, not deciding who would be CPO (state police chiefs) or (police HQ) directors.
“I propose for former chief justices or former judges to helm the SPP instead of a minister,” said IGP Hamid who is set to retire on May 3.
He lamented his frustration over the alleged interference of Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin in the SPP, which oversees the 138,000-strong force.
“Since the beginning, he had insisted on making the decision on who gets appointed.
“It is hard for me as a leader to operate and arrange the deployment of personnel and officers with such intervention.
“I have discussed the matter with the minister, the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary to the Government.
“It is not good for the country if a minister still insists on having such a power,” he added.
Political tool
The proposal to have a non-politician as the SPP chairman was made previously but to no avail, he added.
“If a minister chairs the SPP, political elements will seep into the commission.
“The SPP also needs to have more meetings as currently, it only meets four times a year resulting in various pending disciplinary cases,” he said.
Mr Hamid warned any party against using the police force as their political tool.
“Don’t play politics. Think of the future and welfare of the police force.
“I am saying all this as I feel the public needs to know what is going on with the police force. I have no intentions of extending my contract, I will hand over the reigns to Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani on Monday,” Mr Hamid said.
Mr Acryl Sani was on Friday named as the new IGP.
Outgoing police chief Hamid said he had no issues with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was also Home Minister when Pakatan Harapan was in power.
“(When he was Home Minister) he didn’t push his way around, instead he only said a few words.
“If it comes from a minister, as IGP, I would know what to do.
“The problem started after the change of government last year. I have bad blood with the Home Minister (Hamzah) ever since as each have their own style of doing things,” he said.
Mr Hamid said he will leave it to Mr Acryl to remedy the situation.
“I will leave it to him and to other officers to toe the line.
“I have cleared the path in battling corruption and increasing the integrity of the police force, he (Acryl) just has to continue on the same path and improve upon what I have done,” said Mr Hamid.