Independent Raids Necessary for Effective Enforcement

Recently, we read a statement by Tan Sri Acryl Sani saying that he accepted the fact that other government enforcement agencies are indeed empowered to carry out any form of raid. 

        The Inspector-General is consistent with what we would expect of a mature democracy where there is always the checks-and-balances. 

        Although we would have expected the police to be involved in the raid of online scams, their exclusion in this instance is a good example where the present government does not want anyone leaking information to the party to be raided. 

Example in the US

        In the United States, for example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is feared by even the local police. 

        In March 2021, the U.S. Justice Department resumed its policing of the local police after a four-year hiatus during Donald Trump's presidency. 

        The reason why policing the police has to be carried out even in mature democracies like the US is because the people have lost their confidence in the police department. 

        The social movemnent, 'Black Lives Matter' has pushed for greater justice for the marginalised Afro-Americans who have long been discriminated by the police. 

        In the US, if any police officer is found to be part of a syndicate or breaking the law, the investigation will be carried out by the FBI. No one is spared. 

        The FBI also played an important role when it thoroughly investigated the 1MDB scandal. It was the result of the FBI investigation that many of us were suddenly awakened to the fact that a lot of hearsay is found to be true. 

        Independence in investigation, as well as enforcement, is important. 

High Time for IPCMC

        In Malaysia, until today, there is still a lot of resistance against the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commissions (IPCMC). 

        Although it is meant to be an independent body to promote checks-and-balances in the Royal Malaysian Police and to restore public confidence in the police, i see no reason why the police should resist its establishment. 

        Having an Integrity Department within the police force would not do. 

        Take for example, the case of some Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) enforcement officers who went around asking for angpow from Mandarin stall operators in Jalan Kuchai Lama. This was first reported by social activist, Imraz Ikhbal. 

        Understandably, the amount in these red packets was no small amount of RM10 or RM20, which led Imraz to lodge a report against DBKL to the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). 

        After the MACC interviewed the Mandarin stall operator, till today, there is no further action against the culprits. 

        It goes without saying that the case is still under investigation by the Integrity deparment of DBKL after more than a month and there is also no decision whether they were guilty of corruption.

        It is the outcome that the public is looking for, and if no prosecution can be taken against the culprits, what measures then, will both DBKL and the MACC undertake now to ensure that stall operators are not forced to pay bribes?

        Will DBKL, or MACC, for example, issue a press statement warning that stern action will be taken against any enforcement officer asking for bribes? 

        Will they also warn the stall operators that they are not to offer any bribe? If caught, they too will be charged for bribery? 

        Haven't we heard enough of what is being said by the stall operators themselves? If they pay bribes, they can choose the best spots; but if they do not, they will face enforcement. 

        For this reason, when I see a car wash operator being allowed to operate on a public carpark in Desa Aman Puri and one stall being allowed to be set up in the same area (both occupying public carparks), I am wondering why, despite complaints by the public, nothing is done by the local council? Is there preferential treatment?

Continue to fight corruption

        My contention is that, in order to fight corruption in this country, there must always be checks-and-balances. 

        When the government is forced to depend on only one agency, it is easier for the syndicates to bribe the agency. 

        For this reason, the International Standards Organisation (ISO), has included both internal quality audit as well as audits conducted by external parties in its quality system.        

        That is exactly the same reason why the Auditors can never report to the Accountant in an organisation; instead, they report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. 

        The military also need the Military Police to enforce court martial. There are so many other examples.

        For this reason, I urge the government to set up special task force that carry out raids throughout the country. This would give the enforcer the flexibilty of which task force to use in a raid. 

        Meanwhile, I have to once again laud the agencies concerned for carrying out the raid on online scams.  There must be a reason why Malaysia is picked  by the syndicates to operate such online scams, and the govenrment must do everything within its power to eradicate such social ills.