THE strongly worded speech by recently appointed Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain over inclination of police officers across all rank and file to indulge in corrupt dealings came as no surprise to veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin.
Thus far, Kadir said the video of Shuhaily’s speech is authentic with his sources from among the journalism fraternity having confirmed that it was issued by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).
“Therefore, I believe his message was drafted by Bukit Aman’s highest leadership or at least had their blessing,” the former Bersatu supreme council member penned in a recent Facebook post.
“If PDRM members – from the top down to a police constable – still don’t understand, don’t realise it or don’t repent, I don’t know what else to say.”
Personally, Kadir who has been a journalist for more than half a century (he started his journalism stint on June 16, 1969) said he was least surprised when Shuhaily threw the following question:
“How can an officer of the rank of Sergeant own an Alphard, Vellfire or Mercedes vehicle? Did a superior officer or supervisor ask how one can own a luxury vehicle? Have the officer made a property declaration?”
To re-cap, Shuhaily was appointed on Aug 15 to fill the Bukit Aman CID director post which was vacated by Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay after the latter was made the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in June.
“What he (Suhaily) said is not foreign to me as a journalist, author and member of the 2004 PDRM Police Travel and Management Improvement Commission,” shared Kadir. “As I told to a mainstream newspaper editor, what Tuan Mohd Shuhaily said was discovered by the Commission (back then).”
Added the former editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times: “It was how on a certain day every month, every police officer in the chain-of-command up to the head of a police station will receive an envelope containing their ‘reward’. Then, large sums of money are paid in exchange for a transfer to a ‘gold mine’ location.”
According to Kadir, the Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi era Commission related all such illegal dealings and made 125 recommendations to overcome them.
“But given they wanted to win the heart of the cops as they were ‘afraid’ of not being able to garner police vote (and that of their family members), the Commission’s report was only accorded a lip service,” recalled the veteran journalist.
“Although I sincerely hope that Tuan Mohd Shuhaily’s revelations, sinister remarks and proposals will bring about changes, I will not be surprised at all if his message is just a puff of hot air. Or rather, goes in one ear and out the other.” – Oct 10, 2023
Main pic credit: Transparency International
