New IGP must be 'whiter than white' to gain public confidence: TI-M president

KUALA LUMPUR: New Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun has a huge responsibility to bear and needs to prove himself by being "whiter than white" if he wishes to gain public confidence in the police force.
Transparency International-Malaysia president Datuk Akhbar Satar (pix) said today to gain public trust, Mohamad Fuzi should pledge to clean up the force of corrupt practices and aggressively seek to get rid of bad apples who abuse their authority or tarnish the department's reputation.
"The job of the IGP is not only ranked as one of the most stressful jobs but has routinely been considered as unpopular. Looking at the present scenario, the new IGP faces a tough job in heading the force. In the 2017 Transparency-International Malaysia's (TI-M) Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) survey, the police force was viewed as the most corrupt public institution.

"Hence, Mohammad Fuzi should be highly respected by the community and at all levels of police officers by showing a good example and being 'whiter than white'," he told theSun.
"He must have the ability to be stern and act without fear or favour no matter who the wrong-doer is or their political affiliations. Nobody must be allowed to act above the law. He should ensure politics are kept out of policing and there should be no political inference in the police administration. He must also have zero tolerance on corruption, making sure that the police are not going to compromise in their fight against crimes at every level. This is only fair to the members of the force that serve with dedication and integrity. A few bad apples should not spoil the barrel of apples," he said.
Akhbar said Mohamad Fuzi should also take any negative opinion by the public of the force in stride and find the reasons behind it to improve the image of the force.
He said apart from the public, the new IGP must show concern for the welfare of the rank-and-file officers by providing more quality living quarters for them as poor housing is a factor that can affect their work productivity and compromise their integrity.
"Sometimes it seems like a thankless job as not many may appreciate the force for diligently performing its duties rain or shine. Independant study and statistics show that the police have been successful in reducing the crime index and crippling gangsterism. However, there is a need to display several important characteristics and qualities, as this job requires integrity, fairness, respect for the principles of legality, non-discrimination and humanity," Akhbar Satar said.
He said the government should also consider increasing the budget of the force and assist in providing good infrastructures and facilities in ensuring the comfort and welfare of police families.