Datuk Dr Lau Pang Heng
KUCHING (Aug 4): Sarawak Patriot Association (SPA) has urged the state government to launch a strong protest with the federal authorities to prevent police officers facing disciplinary investigations from being transferred to Sarawak.
“We are very disappointed to hear that uniformed rank and file officers of a federal authority, who may be charged under Section 384 of the Penal Code and facing disciplinary actions due to involvement in extortion cases, will be transferred to serve in Sarawak,” said SPA chairman Datuk Dr Lau Pang Heng.
Lau said he had received many calls from the public concerning the matter, and remarked that the state needed competent police officers to assist the state’s efforts in developing economically.
“We are not a dumping ground for officers facing disciplinary actions. We hope these problematic rank and file men will not be posted to remote rural towns. Otherwise, we cannot imagine what these men will do there,” he said in a statement.
Besides, Lau said the federal authorities must look into the root cause of such disciplinary problems among police officers.
“Are they being paid low? Does the authority have a place to rehabilitate them? Just by transferring them to Sarawak will not solve the problem of their involvement in further extortion activities.”
He remarked that when a staff member of a private firm is facing disciplinary investigation, the staff concerned would normally be suspended from work until the investigation process is over.
“If they are found guilty of the alleged disciplinary offence, they will either be terminated or face other acceptable and justifiable actions within the law of this country.
“No private firm transfers their staff due to disciplinary issues under investigation.”
Thus, Lau suggested that police officers facing disciplinary actions should serve in administrative roles at their respective district head offices or stations, pending completion of their investigation.
He stressed there was no need to transfer such officers to the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak.
“These men may be demoralised working in Sabah and Sarawak as a form of punishment. The problem may arise in their new stations of work. It may create further issues in Sabah and Sarawak.”
Thus, Lau hoped that Sarawakian members of the Parliament would raise this matter in the Parliament.
It has been recently reported that nine police officers who were facing investigations for extorting a businessman in Selangor had been transferred to Sabah and Sarawak.
The officers ranked from constables to sub-inspectors, and investigations were still ongoing.