Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) President, Muhammad Mohan welcomes the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Hamid Bador’s exposure and admission of cartels within the senior ranks of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), as well as his efforts in combating the efforts to perpetuate these crimes.
The IGP was quoted saying in the media, "I don't want this blue uniform used to threaten people. In the United States it is called the 'blue code of silence', which means that if fellow police officers commit an offence, sweep it under the carpet and don't let it be known or we will lose our 'fangs'. I don't want that at all…” and went on to explain that he wanted to stop the culture of threatening the public who wanted to come forward to provide information, and a culture of corruption among police personnel.
TI-Malaysia has long been an advocate for Police reforms, both from within and outside of the force. Internal practices within PDRM need modernisation, but if the corruption crisis highlighted by the IGP has proven anything, the matter cannot be treated solely as an internal issue and resolved within its ranks.
As recommended over a decade ago, an independent oversight mechanism that is free from political interference in all forms, with the teeth to take action against corrupt officers across the rank and file, as well as the authority to implement reforms to the way PDRM operates is the only effective way to achieve the IGP’s visions. The Independent Police Complaints and Monitoring Commission (IPCMC) as previously advocated by Tan Sri
Hamid Bador is the best way forward.
Integrity and consequence cannot be selective; entrenched impunity promotes corruption. Transparency and accountability are our only options. TI-Malaysia again urges the Government to push for the IPCMC Bill instead of the watered down version IPCC Bill if the Government is serious about institutional reforms.
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