‘Sword of Damocles’ hangs over errant state police chiefs

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Mohamad Fuzi (second left) shakes hands with Mustafar as Zulkifli (second right) and Malaysia Integrity chief executive officer Datuk Dr Anis Yusal Yusoff look on during the ‘Breakfast Talk Integrity’ at the Police Training Centre. — Bernama photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Like the proverbial ‘Sword of Damocles’, the law will come down hard on state police chiefs if they are caught offering ‘protection services’ for underworld gambling syndicates.

Among other stern measures, the police chiefs also risk being relieved of their positions and transferred out of the state.

According to Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, the police would take stern action on all errant policemen, including state police chiefs in efforts to eradicate gambling activities nationwide.

“If I am forced to transfer state police chiefs (in the fight against gambling), I will do so. I will take action against those in cahoots with such activities (gambling). Many policemen act, some ‘play charades’ and some take advantage of the issue,” he said in his speech at the ‘Breakfast Talk Integrity’ event held at the Police Training Centre here yesterday.

Mohamad Fuzi, who was appointed the nation’s 11th IGP on Sept 4, succeeding Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who had retired, said the fight against gambling, syndicated crime and gangsterism was among the current foci of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).

On Sept 27, the PDRM formed a special committee headed by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim to eradicate the rampant gambling activities nationwide.

Mohamad Fuzi said the Department of Integrity and Standard Compliance (JIPS) was also set up in 2014, building PDRM reputation as the nation’s leading enforcement agency.

“JIPS was formed to focus on strengthening the integrity of the force to boost the PDRM image, changing its position from being an agency that has a high-risk of involvement in offences.

“To ensure service quality, especially among frontline workers, JIPS will carry out integrity inspection from time to time as its proactive effort to make certain that PDRM members adhere to the rules and regulations,” he said.

Also present at the event were Noor Rashid, Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali and Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia vice-chancellor Gen Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.— Bernama