‘ Political will needed to clean up police force’
> Former IGP says govt backing vital to fight corruption
PETALING JAYA: A total reform in the police force to weed out corruption and black sheep is possible only if there is political will.
Former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan (pix), who lauded any effort to reform the police force, said civil servants merely adhered to policies drafted by law makers and would fail in fighting graft if they were not backed by the government.
“If there is no political will, you cannot fight corruption. It will not work if a civil servant is fighting the cause alone. It will backfire and fail,” he told theSun.
However, Musa objected to political meddling in the selection and removal of police leadership by lawmakers, stressing such powers lie solely with the Police Force Commission (PFC).
“You cannot just sack or remove a police officer as you wish. You cannot simply sack an officer because he is presumed to be inclined to a certain (political) party.”
The PFC is made up of a panel comprising the home minister, Home Ministry secretary-general, an officer in command of the police force, a member of the Public Accounts Committee, and not less than two and not more than six others appointed by the king.
Musa served the police force for 41 years and was IGP between 2006 and 2010.
He was to go on mandatory retirement in 2009 but got a two-year extension of service.
However, a year later the Home Ministry ended his contract abruptly after he criticised certain ministers for interfering with police work.
During his tenure, Musa had pledged to reform the police force but faced tough resistance.
“I had called for the forming of the IPIC (Independent Police Integrity Commission) which was specifically to reform the police force.
“I submitted the papers to then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and it was approved.
“However, the EAIC (Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission) was formed instead. Basically, there was no political will at the time for the reform of the police force and there was too much meddling in police matters by politicians.”