DISMISS HAMZAH FROM CABINET, PATRIOT DEMANDS

1 May 2021

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Patriot Association (Patriot) has called Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to sack Home Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) cabinet for his alleged insult, insolence and disregard for statutory functions of the police force.

Its president Brigade-General Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji, citing the leaked audio recording that discussed the selection of police directors and chief police officers of states, regarded the conduct as unethical.

"Some of the comments he made in the audio recording were highly obnoxious and he must be censured.

"He is heard to have said that the IGP only needs to present a list of senior officers for the posts of Directors and the state CPOs, and unlike previously, the final decision is “we will decide”, which presumably means decided by the minister," he said in a statement.

"Although Article 140 of the Constitution gives the Chairmanship of the Police Force Commission to the home minister, it does not mean he has absolute power to make decisions on promotions and appointments," he added.

In the audio recording, Hamzah is alluded to saying his intention of giving promotion to 'orang kita' (our people) and 'budak kita' (our kids) for senior positions in the police force.

This, said Arshad, is an utter abandonment of the principles of good governance where promotions should be on merits and not based on cronyism or from one’s own state or to please the royalty.

He also mentioned that referring to senior police officers as 'budak' is an insult to all those in uniform.

"The ranks of senior police officers are given by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. Most are still well respected long after their retirement. A minister is a nobody the moment he leaves office.

"There is a hierarchy in rank in the security forces. Those of lower ranks respect and take orders from higher ranks. For the military, in war, if a commander orders his subordinates to sacrifice their lives in a do-or-die mission, the officers and men will follow his orders.

"They fight for their commander and for the king. Calling their commanders ‘budak” is an unpardonable insult. This insult is equally felt by the men and women in the entire police force."

Arshad said, retaining him gives the impression that ministers in the PN government are free to act above the law with total disregard to principles and convention of good governance and that the government is not serious to root out corruption.

"With regards to the Police Force Commission Board, Patriot is of the view that the membership needs review.

"The Constitution provides for up to six members to be appointed by the Agong. Instead of appointing retired police officers, the Police Directors should be appointed," Arshad asserted.