Understand cops, IGP tells public

“The people must understand that when facing the police, they must adhere to police instructions and directives,” said Musa.

Mr Tan Sri IGP Sir, from my experience, adhering to police instructions and directives requires me to “share” my hard earned ringgit with your people every time I am pulled up for a traffic infringement. That “ringgit” stays in their pockets and does not find its way into Government coffers – which must be upsetting for those who are entrusted to “spend” this money – i.e. the Barisan Nasional politicians! It is not my place to ask the Barisan Nasional politicians where or how they spend this money; suffice to say that writing cheques the day after a by-election could be a preferred option.

By steadyaku47

First, IGP, you must learn humility. Humility is something I learnt from my parents from the time when I was conscious of our ability to push our weight around (if we wanted to) with the servants that worked for my parents and with the policemen who worked under my late Father when he was a senior police officer. My parents always told us to respect them so that they would respect you in return. If your parents did not teach you that … then you are excused.

During my late father’s time, we called the ordinary policemen “mata-mata” or even “datok” with a small “d”. They were people we respected and they were the eyes of the nation, of the of the people, to ensure that all is good and well in our country and that we and our children were safe. And then from “mata mata”, I noticed that people were calling them “bakul” behind their backs. At first, I wondered why and then it hit me. You put things into a “bakul”. And so when you put things into the hands of these policemen, you can “selesai” any “problems” you might have with them. Then, at just about the same time, we all spontaneously started to refer to them as “babi”.

We all know, Tan Sri, for a Malay to be called “babi” is an insult. But then, we Malays were ourselves calling these policemen “babi” with relish and gusto because by then and by their actions these policeman have earned the right to be called “babi”. By this time the Policeman had become legal thugs paid for by our tax money! 

I see in you what I saw in your minister – a propensity to shoot from the hip and the “Look at me I am the Minister/IGP mentality” – doing and saying things with arrogance and without much thought of the consequences or what it does to the office that you are holding. We respect the post of IGP because we remember Hanif. Do we see another IGP getting a Tun ship … I think not! Anyway, between you and Din as the Malay proverb says “Bapa borek, anak rintek”i.e. if the father has freckles … so has the son. 

Your time is almost over (thank GOD!). We live in hope that IGPs that will surely come after you will take cognizance of the hope of the people. That they are more emphatic of the needs of the people to have an honest PDRM. Our hope is not much – just do your job and live within your means as we try to do. Understand that the “them and us” mentality is destructive to all of us.

For now, the police are thugs. As the first tier, UMNO had already replaced the Sultans in their excesses and greed. The Police have now taken over from the thugs, the gangsters and the criminal elements of our country in intimidating the people for their own personal gains. PDRM is better disciplined, better armed and have the support of the so-called legitimate Barisan Nasional government behind them. So my dear IGP, do you not think that the people are worried? Do you not think that the people have a sense of hopelessness because if we cannot look to the police for protection – then who?

Have you ever put yourself in the position of someone who has to pay a bribe to the police? Think! You are caught talking on your mobile while driving and stopped. You know you have done wrong. So you wait in your car as the policeman approaches. You tell yourself off for doing something stupid then you prepare yourself for the unpleasant task of dealing with the policemen. You say “Sorry”. He says it is not enough. Slowly, a feeling of disgust and anger starts from deep within you. Angry because this man wants money for doing what he is paid to do and disgust because he makes no pretense about it being his right to get that money off you! And so, and my Tan Sri IGP, you are the man in charge of PDRM, are you not?

We now come to the present day. People are clamouring publicly for you to go. Everywhere in cafes, over meals, amongst friends, we talk about how corrupt and brutal the police have become. PDRM is no longer a beacon of hope and a force for good in our country. PDRM is a force for good only for Barisan Nasional. You do their bidding. You put away those that are seen to be a danger to Barisan Nasional. You set your force upon that defenseless crowd and whack them (as Petra is fond of saying!) and you hit them without mercy when it pleases the BN government. 

And then the killings and the torture you inflict upon those in your custody – simply unforgivable! Because these people cannot fight back, cannot defend themselves and they are murdered by your officers because this is the culture now condoned and prevailing within the PDRM – sanctioned by you, your minister and the Basrian Nasional govt.

Until such time as you understand the disgust and contempt we the people have for PDRM and the BN government for allowing PDRM to be what it is today, then … until that time … we the people will be your enemies, not your friends. We the people will be your nemesis, not your supporters. And we the people will look upon PDRM the same way you all look upon us – as a group to be cowered into submission through whatever means. You do it to us with force – we will do it at the next general election with our votes. You will no longer be IGP but the people will still be able to cast their votes  come the next General Election next year!