Impartial & Independence Public Institutions

IGP Musa Hassan is a controversial man. His contract was renewed last year by the Home Ministry to the disappointment of many people especially the opposition and civil society.

Musa was infamous for ordering his men to stop political rallies, opposition gatherings and hauling up opposition members and their assistants for investigations which usually did not end up anywhere.

Musa's willingness to do such works was allegedly seen as the main reason for his contract renewal. This is not a healthy trend. The government should appoint IGPs from those who fall within the age limit and not those who have passed the retirement age limit like Musa Hassan. This gives an impression that we do not have any qualified candidates in the police force to be promoted to the top position.

Musa is not an ordinary and apolitical police officer. He knows the web of politics as well as the lines on his palms. When his tenure was expected not to be renewed beyond September and growing calls for his early departure, he reacted by alleging interference from powerful third parties. He could only be referring to those politicians in the ruling regime.

However, his reaction to the controversial killing of a 14 years old boy suspected as a robber was way out of bound. Musa wanted to pull out his force from patrolling the streets if "that is what the people wanted" is a call bordering a serious breach of duty.

If he was not scratching the back of some politicians, his head would have been chopped!

Musa's attitude is a microcosm of the larger picture. The people in authority and holding great power do not understand the meaning of responsibility and rule of law. They are not the law.

Musa is accountable to his clients and bosses - the public. He is entrusted to keep and secure public safety and not trying to defend some bad hats in his force. He has no business to accuse anyone of being unfair to his force before running a thorough investigation on what actually happened.

It is fair to note that the police are capable of committing crime too. The best example is the murder of Altantuya Shaaribu. Musa should stay independence and impartial. He should contribute to enhance the quality of his force. This way, his contributions would be better remembered and appreciated.

Musa is going to retire soon and he will fade into oblivion. His name and legacy will be viewed with a highly critical lenses. Musa's public image does not stand a chance under public scrutiny.

For what? Money and power? What's the use in his old age?

Musa should return justice to the souls of Altantuya, Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan, Aminulrasyid Amzah and thousands who died during custody.

Meanwhile, this government should stop defending the obvious. The rate the ministers and leaders from Barisan especially UMNO jumping in to defend the public institutions e.g. police force, Election Commission, judiciary and everything else seems odd to me.

As a government of the people, they should ensure that these institutions remained independence, fair, just and steadfast in serving the people.

Their current action cannot help but giving us an impression thah the regime is colluding with these institutions.

Hence, I would like to urge the government to keep a clear cut line between their administration and the public institutions.

I have to agree with KJ John that the IGP had acted in a distasteful manner.