A Force to be Proud of...

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (Deputy IGP) of the Royal Malaysian Police Force (Polis DiRaja Malaysia or PDRM) Tan Sri Musa Hassan has outlined a 5 year plan to improve the image, efficiency and competence of the police force.

The draft of the 5 year plan will be sent to all federal police directors, state chief police officers and district police chiefs and followed by a brainstorming session by top-ranking officers. The target will be to put the plan into action by the end of this year. Recommendations made by the Royal Commission will apparently, also be incorporated.

This includes ways:

• to improve the frontline services at police stations;
• to enhance the quality of investigation and reduce errors in investigation papers;
• to build a community policing network; and
• to build an exhibit store where evidence will be kept in order to reduce the possibility of evidence going missing before cases go to court.

OK. This sounds like a plan. But can it be implemented and implemented well?

And it's very much a plan to improve the operational aspects of the force. I hope the software aspects of the police force will not be ignored. Besides improving the image, efficiency and competence of the force, the basic ethics and mindset of the force need to transformed as well.

Our police officers need to realise that besides actually keeping the Malaysians safe - it is equally important that they behave in a manner that makes us feel safe. They need to be proud of the job they do and realise that doing it sincerely & incorruptibly, is as important or more important than, doing it competently.

An earlier blog regarding this very point is here.