Police and the people

Editorial, NST

THE boys in blue have never been under such fire before and the overzealous members of Rela have had their bad press.

There have also been rumblings about the conduct of prison warders and sullen frontline Immigration officers. Understandably, protective government ministers and senior civil servants have always jumped to the defence of these uniformed bodies and departments under the Home Ministry.

The reality, however, is that people are complaining, and the complaints are mostly directed at the police for their indifference or their inaction or their overzealousness. The list is long, with the Mat Rempit and Ah Long menace highlighted regularly.

The increasing incidences of snatch thefts and the weak, or absent, police presence in troubled neighbourhoods figure prominently on the list. Other complaints include corruption in the force and the rough handling of suspects in custody.

That there are rogue and corrupt policemen in the force has not been denied, though excuses of being understaffed and under-paid have sometimes been proffered.

The good news is that the government is listening to the people and engaging them. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, knowing public support is crucial, wants people to come on board to wage war against the criminals.

The Home Ministry has set up an interactive portal which highlights crime hot spots and other matters. Hishammuddin wants people to make their views known via the portal; he wants them to write to him or to the newspapers.

It is refreshing to note that Hishammuddin has taken the unprecedented step of opening up public discussion on his ministry. Refreshing because, for long, the Home Ministry has been spoken of in hushed tones and any open talk or discussion about weaknesses in the departments under it has often been deemed taboo.

While he has declared "zero tolerance" for the malevolent members of society, Hishammuddin says he will look into the recommendations of the Royal Commission to enhance the operation and management of the police force, revamp Rela and the Civil Defence Department, and review the ISA and other statutes under the ministry.

There is also a push for inter-agency and inter-ministry co-operation, a welcome exercise at engaging the people for a better and more efficient public service.

But make no mistake, while the ministry wants more open discussion about areas where it can improve, there will be no compromise when it comes to the peace and security of the nation. And that is how it should be.