Stop whittling down the RMP

THE Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) celebrated its 212th anniversary last month. More than 200 years of service to the nation is by no means a small contribution.

However, it saddens me to see that, of late, there has been a move to clip the wings of the RMP in their core responsibilities.

A few years ago, the RMP’s Marine Branch was downsized to provide only coastal and riverine patrols and its place was taken by the more glamorous Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. The RMP’s paramilitary combatant unit, the Police Field Force, was renamed the General Operations Force and assigned to new duties. The latest that will be on the chopping block is the RMP’s Department of Traffic Investigations and Enforcement.

I was made to understand that the responsibilities of this department will be taken over wholly by the Road Transport Department (RTD).

The reason that there is an overlapping of duties between the two agencies is beyond one’s imagination. Has the traffic department failed in meeting its KPIs so badly that it has warranted the RTD taking over?

The RMP’s traffic police officers are well trained and to just ignore their contribution is a sheer waste of taxpayers’ money. It would be beneficial to the rakyat that each agency, the traffic department of RMP and RTD, complements each other in their scope of duties.

I will not be surprised that the next RMP department that will be disbanded will be the Narcotics Crimes Investigations Department to pave the way for the National Anti-Drug Agency to take over! It would be rational for the government to rethink this move.