Be good, you are on cop camera

Keeping in check: Konst Wan Mohd Hazwan from the MPV unit showing his body-worn camera at IPD Dang Wangi in Kuala Lumpur. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: If you get stopped by a policeman and there is a green light blinking on his left chest, beware – you are on camera!

And there will be no getting away with any hanky-panky.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

After years of planning, police are finally being equipped with more than 7,000 bodycams, better known as Body Worn Cameras (BWCs).

The implementation of the BWCs will be done nationwide in stages, with frontline personnel – the patrol and traffic units – getting priority.

ALSO READ: BWC use must be monitored, say groups

“It started with the police contingents in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Oct 15 followed by Perlis on Nov 15 and Johor on Dec 10,” said Comm Datuk Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad, Bukit Aman’s Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department director.“So far 2,760 BWCs have been distributed as of Dec 10.

“For other police contingents, the process of registering user IDs for the purpose of check-ins of the use of the cameras is still ongoing,” he told The Star recently.

The full nationwide roll-out for all 7,648 BWCs will be completed by March next year.

“They will be available at 157 district police headquarters and 640 police stations nationwide.

“The distribution of the cameras will prioritise officers and personnel with the Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) and the Motorcycle Patrol Units (URB) as well as those with the department who are conducting crime prevention patrols.

“They will also be distributed to Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department officers conducting traffic enforcement duties.

“BWCs will also be used in other police operations on a case-by-case basis,” he added.

Comm Wan Hassan said a successful pilot run was conducted from June 9 to July 14 at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor police contingents.

The cameras were able to capture all the action of police officers along with their location when they interacted with the public, he said.

“It (BWC use) can elevate the image of the police force and increase people’s confidence in the police. It also improves transparency,” he added.

All those assigned with BWCs will be provided ample training prior to using it, he said.

“The BWCs will also be able to record up to eight hours of audio and video and there is a green light indicator (on top of the device) showing that it is switched on.

“Each user is equipped with a special BWC ID while on duty. Failure to switch on the BWC while on duty will result in disciplinary action,” he explained.

Those wearing BWCs are required to keep them on throughout their shift except during prayers or when going to the toilet.

“The video and audio recordings (from the BWCs) can be used as evidence in an investigation or prosecution.

“It can also protect the police and people from any baseless allegations.

“The BWCs will not only be able to curb wrongdoing and integrity problems among MPV and URB personnel, but also protect them from unwarranted criticism while going about their duties.

“We hope it will increase the integrity of those on duty and curb any possible wrongdoing or misdemeanours,” he added.

Asked if there were plans to expand the use of the BWCs to other police divisions and units, Comm Wan Hassan said plans were in the pipeline.

“However, we will need additional funds make these plans a reality,” he said.

Comm Wan Hassan said the police would move forward with the use of the latest technology in line with modern policing to curb and prevent crime.

“With technology advancing further, police work has become more challenging. I hope the BWCs would be able to improve the integrity of those in the force and increase the ‘feel safe’ factor among the public,” he added.

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IGP slams rogue policemen, Remove the rot from the force

 

EXCLUSIVE PETALING JAYA: There is a small segment of the police force that is delinquent, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has admitted.

He said only about 2% of the police force have been found to have committed wrongdoings last year. Nevertheless, with a 137,000-strong police force, that means about 2,740 personnel have been found to be rogue.

Tan Sri Razarudin Husain (pic), exasperated and concerned over the bad press the police have received recently, is telling his officers to carry out their duties honourably to earn the trust and confidence of the public.

“I urge personnel, especially frontliners, who carry out their duties with integrity to elevate the image of the police force. Serve the public with integrity, this is all I ask,” he said.

Razarudin said that apart from disciplinary action including pay cuts, demotions, suspensions and dismissals over various wrongdoings, several police officers were also charged in court for committing serious crimes.

“It is this small percentage of cops who bring ill-repute and tarnish the image the police force.

These wrong-doers will face severe consequences. No crooked cop will be tolerated or spared from stern action.

“If their supervisors or station heads are found to be incompetent, then we will transfer them out and replace them with capable officers,” Razarudin told The Star.

ALSO READ: : Major shake-up coming for Selangor police stations

He said the police Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS) would continue to weed out delinquent personnel.

Over the past month, rogue cops have left the police top brass red-faced after running foul of the law.

On Sunday, a police station chief from Johor was caught on video assaulting a man at an undisclosed location. Johor police said the man was also transferred to the Batu Pahat police headquarters while he awaits the outcome of investigations.

On Wednesday, two Ampang Jaya policemen were arrested for allegedly raping a foreign student and robbing her male friend in Bukit Ampang View in Ampang Jaya.

ALSO READ: : Sergeant pleads not guilty over RM20k bribee

On Jan 4, four policemen from Kuala Lumpur were held for allegedly extorting RM10,000 from a man in Kepong.

Another six policemen attached to the Brickfields district police headquarters were arrested at a house in Taman Tan Yew Lai on the same day for allegedly processing ketum leaves for distribution and their own consumption.

Last month, three policemen who were part of a raiding party of a major operation against illegal immigrants at Jalan Silang on Dec 22 were arrested for stealing RM85,000 from a store.

On Dec 19, senior cop Deputy Supt Mohd Nazri Abdul Razak, 44, was charged with murder in Ipoh for allegedly crashing his car into a 17-year-old student and causing his death four days earlier.

Razarudin said daily reminders to stay away from undesirable acts are issued to frontline personnel who perform patrol duties or crime prevention rounds.

ALSO READ:  Bukit Aman will not compromise when it comes to rogue personnel

“They are constantly checked by their supervisors. They are reminded of their responsibility and to stay away from all wrongdoings in their daily briefings too. All rules, the dos and don’ts are all in place and we regularly improve these measures.

“However, despite drumming all these good values and advice into them, there are recalcitrant personnel who are defiant and choose to be involved in such acts.

“I can only say that it just boils down to one’s character and principles. If a person has evil intentions, no morals, no fear of God and the law, he will commit such acts,” he warned

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ALONG THE WATCHTOWER 

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Crooked cops under the spotlight; Bukit Aman CID chief pleased with public reception to his stern address to his personnel

 

   

Penang police chief Mohd Shuhaily appointed new KL top cop as Bukit Aman CID director followed rigorous selection proc process

Newly- appointed CID director who exposed the state of decay in the ranks has given a clear warning to cops on the payroll of criminal syndicates.

THE rot in our police force is far worse than imagined but there is a glimmer of hope: It is no longer being swept under the carpet.

The head of Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, has pledged this in no uncertain terms.

At a meeting in Penang on Friday, which was supposed to be a welcoming mandate ceremony for him as the newly promoted director, he stunned the 130 state and district CID chiefs with the brutal expose of the decay in the system.

Comm Shuhaily, the former KL police chief, was blunt in his warning to corrupt officers working in cahoots with criminal rackets. His notice to them: “Change or be changed.”

“You’re willing to sacrifice the lives of your comrades because of the money you get from syndicates. In other words, there are some here who are willing to kill each other for money,” the CID director said during the closeddoor conference.

The video footage of his speech was posted online and has since gone viral.

Comm Shuhaily said the venality and corruption in the system has remained unchecked because there is no supervision, especially in monitoring the lifestyles of officers and lower ranking police personnel.

For example, he questioned how it is possible for a sergeant to buy a Toyota Alphard, Vellfire, or a Mercedes with money earned only from his salary.

(A police sergeant comes under Grade YA5, for which the minimum salary is RM1,824 with the maximum of RM5,801. The base model of Toyota Alphard costs RM464,000. With a year’s insurance of RM14,366 and road tax of RM4,182, the on-the-road price of the vehicle is a whopping RM482,548. Reconditioned models a few years older cost about RM40,000 to RM50,000 less.)

“Have their superiors ever asked how they could afford such luxury vehicles based on the salaries they earn, or whether they have declared their assets? This is all part of existing police task force directives,” he said.

Comm Shuhaily said the supervising officers were not just negligent in motoring junior officers but were also directly involved by being on the criminal syndicates’ payroll.

“Some are equally bad. They go and buy these luxury cars together with their sergeants and even pick out the registration plate numbers together. Isn’t this what’s happening?” he said, underscoring the state of corruption in the force.

Addressing those in the meeting who had not met the basic requirements of their responsibilities, he said they would be removed from the CID and barred from holding any higher rank.

Citing the observation of the late former IGP Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar, who served from 2003 to 2006, he said most officers were “promoted to the level of incompetence”.

“They make wrong decisions or dare not decide nor give directives when needed. They play safe all the time to get their positions. They are only clever at PR.”

Describing irresponsible officers and those who work with criminal rackets for monthly payments as “traitors”, he said they were not fit to talk about defending the country, race or religion.

Comm Shuhaily said he expected everyone in the CID, from officers in the Bukit Aman HQ to personnel in stations across the country, to stop associating with criminal syndicates.

Although there is cynicism in the ranks over the CID director’s admonition, likening it to the adage of “A new broom sweeps clean”, Malaysians have largely welcomed the man’s trenchant warning against police misconduct.

But in all honesty, what are the chances of our police force being cleansed under the existing laws to check abuses and accountability?

It won’t happen with the Independent Police Conduct

Commission (IPCC) Act 2020, which has been described as “toothless” by human rights and civil society groups.

The IPCC, which only came into force this July after being passed three years ago, does not have the key ingredient for it to be effective: authority to discipline.

This lame piece of legislation has also weakened the scant police oversight provided under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC). The IPCC does not even include search and investigation powers provided under the EAIC.

The IPCC has no powers to act against police officers found guilty of wrongdoing. It can only recommend proposed actions to the Police Force Commission or other appropriate authorities.

It is a poor substitute for the original Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), first mooted in 2005 as part of 125 recommendations by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police.

Members of the commission included prominent figures such as a former IGP, representatives of the police force and the Retired Senior Police Officers’ Association of Malaysia, among others.

The establishment of the IPCMC to probe cases of police abuse and to discipline culprits responsible was among the commission’s main recommendations.

Although a proposed Bill was drafted as part of the report, resistance from within the police force was too strong for it to make any headway.

In July 2019, the then ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition, tabled its IPCMC Bill, which was criticised as a gross disappointment from what was initially proposed by the commission.

But the IPCMC Act was stymied when the Pakatan government collapsed in February 2020 with the crossing over of many of its MPS in the wake of the “Sheraton Move”.

Among all forms of corruption, it is graft within the police force which hurts a country the most. In Malaysia, it has come to a level where corrupt officers are in the pockets of criminal rackets.

Meaningful reform cannot take place if the cops are allowed to continue investigating misconduct cases involving their own. Or if corrupt officers are only given slaps on wrists by being transferred out or barred from promotion.

The only viable solution to cleanse the much-marred image of our police force is to set up the IPCMC as it was first proposed 18 years ago. It is still not too late to do so.

- Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by a US Chief Justice, Earl Warren: “The police must obey the law while enforcing the law.” The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

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Bukit Aman CID chief pleased with public reception to his stern address to his personnel

KUALA LUMPUR: Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain says he was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response from the public following the video of his recent address to CID officers.

The Bukit Aman CID director said it showed that the public knew about the state of the police, and that it was an "open secret".

"I firmly believe if we are plagued by disease, we must first admit it.

"If we don't, then the doctor could not administer the right cure or medicine," he told a press conference in Bukit Aman on Wednesday (Oct 11).

He was commenting on the recent videos of his address to CID officers, where he was hard hitting, including highlighting wrongdoings of some officers.

"What I did is just amplifying what the IGP and Deputy IGP have been saying in wanting to clean up the police force.

"They have been saying it, I merely amplify it," he lamented.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily said as an initial move, all CID officers holding sensitive positions, including district CID chiefs and D7 (Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division), have to declare their assets, and must be transparent and comprehensive.

"If someone is able and can afford a certain lifestyle, they must show they have legitimate sources of income.

"We will conduct continuous auditing to ensure high integrity among CID officers," he said.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily also said applications for sensitive positions in the department were also open.

"We will issue the offer to any officer or personnel.

"They must send their application letter along with forms declaring their assets," he said, emphasising that his address was a call for his officers to change.

"Whatever we do, it will have a reaction, be it positive or negative.

"However, the overall reaction by the public has been positive, but we need the public to help us.

"Change belongs to you," said Comm Mohd Shuhaily, who added the reason the video was disseminated was so that it could reach a wider audience.

"During the address, I could only address 140 officers present at the venue, whereas I have 10,000 officers and personnel in the department," he said.

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  Weeding out the black sheep, Bad boys sacked

    KERATAN AKHBAR PILIHAN: WEEDING OUT THE BLACK SHEEP, BUKIT AMAN WILL NOT COMPROMISE WHEN IT COMES TO ROGUE PERSONNEL (rmp.gov.my)    PDRM...

Shocking news and curious comments

  

Why bother to formulate a new law to check fake news when the real stories are already incredible?

' There must be better explanations for such incredible reports and the bizarre responses from people in power.'


OVER the past week, the news about Malaysia has been running the range from the outrageous to the absurd.

To use a quirky English phrase, the stories beggar belief. In other words, too surreal to be believed.

With the Government proposing a new law to check the spread of “fake news”, there must be better explanations for such incredible reports and the bizarre responses from people in power.

I am listing three examples. The first is Switzerland’s decision to confiscate the equivalent of RM400mil, purportedly linked to 1Malaysia Develop­ment Bhd (1MDB), which was seized from Swiss banks last year.

The Swiss lawmakers are set to debate a motion to en­­able part of the funds to be sent back to Malaysia, but according to recent reports, there were no claimants for the money. For context, the RM400mil is more than this year’s budget for my home state of Melaka and the surplus of RM26.4mil can pay for the new bridge on the alternative coastal road in Klebang.

Next is the 91m super yacht, Equanimity, impounded off Bali last Wednesday.

Indonesian police seized the vessel sought by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in response to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) request to enforce a court order.

Police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal Abduh said the US$250mil (RM976mil) yacht’s Auto­ma­ted Identification System (AIS) had been switched off in nearby seas before the seizure.

Penang-born businessman Low Taek Jho, who is also known as Jho Low, criticised the DoJ for not proving any offence before acting.

“It is disappointing that, rather than reflecting on the deeply flawed and politically motivated allegations, the DoJ is continuing with its pattern of global overreach – all based on entirely unsupported claims of wrongdoing,” read a statement sent by his unnamed spokesman.

Eyebrows were raised when Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali said the Government would not claim the yacht.

But Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak’s peculiar comment that the DoJ had not shown any “tangible proof” of Low’s ownership of the yacht drew ire and scorn.

He said besides allegations in the civil suit, on hold since last August, there was no evidence of Low’s ownership.

As former minister of trade and industry Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz noted, all it takes is a simple search. The “SuperYacthFan” website, which has a directory of the world’s wealthiest yacht owners, states that it belongs to Low and his Hong-Kong-based investment fund, Jynwel Capital.

If Low is innocent, the solution is simple: Just bite the bullet and face the DoJ.

The third curious case involves Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Comm Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd’s frozen Australian bank account.

Australian police froze the A$320,000 (RM970,490) account after filing a forfeiture application in the New South Wales Supreme Court in March last year. 

Strangely, the senior police officer does not want his almost RM1mil back. His reason? High legal costs.

Australian police noted a “flurry of suspicious cash deposits” into the CID director’s account, which had been dormant since it was first opened in 2011.

The account reportedly grew by nearly A$290,000 (RM879,500) in a month in 2016, mostly in deposits below A$10,000 (RM30,330) – the limit for law enforcement agencies to receive possible money-laundering alerts.

The money came in from branches and ATMs around the country, from the tiny towns in Queensland and in Tasmania to the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne, a week after the officer visited Australia.

In response, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said an inquiry found that the account was opened in 2011 to enable the transfer of funds to finance the CID director’s son’s education in Australia.

The IGP said the dormant account was reactivated in 2016 for the officer’s daughter’s master’s degree, adding that Comm Wan Ahmad Najmuddin provided documents to prove the money was from the sale of a RM700,000 house in Shah Alam.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki initially ruled out any further probe as both Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the IGP had exone­rated the CID director. However, Azam has since been quoted as saying the MACC had begun investigating the matter following a report lodged by an unidentified whistleblower.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed provided another queer twist to the case by suggesting that Australian authori­ties were using the media to embarrass Malaysia and by asking if they had an axe to grind.

With more doubts continuing to be raised over the case, Dr Ahmad Zahid said Comm Wan Ahmad could have been “a little naïve” about Australia’s legal system.

We can’t blame Malaysians to be sceptical, given the status of the person in question.

Naïve or not, just how costly can it be to hire a good lawyer in Australia to seek justice for the huge amount of money wrongly confiscated?

There have been such cases before and Malaysians have won, most notably former Selangor mentri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

On May 1998, he was acquitted of currency regulation breaches involving more than A$1.2mil (RM2.9mil then).

Muhammad had pleaded not guilty to knowingly making a false currency report when entering the country on Dec 16, 1996, and then failing to declare currency when leaving six days later.

Besides saying that the ex-teacher’s English was not good, his lawyers argued that he didn’t know the country’s money exchange laws and that the funds were for buying land for himself and his three brothers.

How much he paid the lawyers remains a mystery, though.

Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by Albert Einstein: Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.

Along The Watchtower by M.Veera Pandiyan The Star



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All in a day's words in politics

Stop corrupt practices now, DPM tells police officers

KUALA LUMPUR: It is time for police officers to put a stop to irresponsible and corrupt behaviour within their ranks, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said there were reports that some senior officers had pressured lower-ranked officers, including OCPDs, to finance “celebrations” for them during gatherings.

In the end, the lower-ranking personnel were forced to be involved in corrupt acts.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is Home Minister, said such “bullying” should stop as there were complaints made on senior officers.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said there was a case of an OCPD who had to find outside sources of income to allow him to organise celebrations for the senior officers.

Such an excuse is unacceptable, he added.

“This is a stupid excuse, if this matter had actually happened, as it goes against the principle of integrity for all enforcement officers who are supposed to protect the public.

“The days of officers receiving illegal profits and income from non-halal sources are gone. We will never accept such behaviour anymore,” he said at a treasure hunt with the media organised by the Home Ministry yesterday.

He ordered Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department and the Special Branch to investigate such claims within the force.

“I don’t deny that there are a few bad apples who bring a bad name to the enforcement agencies. But this behaviour must stop immediately,” he said.

On a separate matter, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the petition signed by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad calling for the release of jailed PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is meant “to wash away his own sins”.

He said the people knew that it was Dr Mahathir who put Anwar in jail when the former prime minister was still in power.

He was also informed that there was another petition submitted by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to the Pardons Board for a royal pardon for her husband.

“I believe that is the better way. And I do not wish to interfere with the powers provided by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to the Pardons Board for them to make such a decision,” he said.

By Rahimy Rahim The Star

Zahid: We will reshuffle police force, trust me and top cops to rectify problems within police force 

 

DENGKIL: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) is asking the public to trust him and the top brass of the police as the force undergoes extensive reshuffling to “correct things from within”.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is Home Minister, was responding to a string of arrests of police personnel by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mis­sion (MACC) recently.

“We appreciate the monitoring by other agencies, but excessive publicity on their operation has led to negative perception on the police.

“What I can say is that we are committed to making changes, and that a major reshuffle is taking place as we speak,” he told repor­ters after attending zohor prayers and lunch at the Bukit Dugang orang asli village here yesterday.

The police came under the spotlight after MACC picked up seven police personnel in Melaka, including two district police chiefs, for alleged graft.

They are believed to be part of a racket providing protection to illegal gambling dens and massage parlours.

Police have also nabbed their own men – 21 high-ranking narcotics officers – under Ops Kabaddi, a nationwide operation to weed out corrupt officers.

The narcotics officers, including a deputy superintendent and an inspector, were being investigated for alleged involvement with drug syndicates.

However, Dr Ahmad Zahid said police would not announce the de­­tails of the reshuffling in order to avoid any further misunderstanding.

“I ask the public to trust us to do what is best for the people and the country,” he said.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the police would relook their transfer policy, which stipulates that transfers should take place every three years, adding that other factors do come into play before such orders are issued.

“We have to consider costs and personal issues involving our men,” he said.

Source: The Star by mazwin nik anis


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Police OCPDs detained: RM800k cash in storeroom; Gambling dens masquerading as cybercafes

Caught in the crackdown: (From left) A Melaka-based police corporal was remanded for seven days at the magistrate’s court in Putraja...

Police OCPDs detained: RM800k cash in storeroom; Gambling dens masquerading as cybercafes

Caught in the crackdown: (From left) A Melaka-based police corporal was remanded for seven days at the magistrate’s court in Putrajaya to help in a graft probe while former Inspector P. Kavikumar and L/Kpl Muhammad Harris Mohd Rafe were charged with receiving bribes at the Sessions Court in Kota Baru.

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RM800,000 shock - cash discovered in storeroom

A whopping RM800,000 in cash was recovered from a police corporal at a police quarters as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission continued with its crackdown, which has led to gambling syndicates in Melaka shutting down operations and moving out. The blitz is still ongoing with two policemen and two prison warders being charged in Kelantan.

PUTRAJAYA: When RM800,000 in cold, hard cash was found in a police corporal’s Melaka house , it shocked even the most seasoned graft busters. The money is nearly 26 years of his highest-possible salary.

However, the corporal, who is attached to the Melaka police contingent headquarters’ secret societies, gambling and vice division (D7) denied that the money – found in the storeroom of his quarters – was his.

The 52-year-old is the 10th person arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the case of Melaka police personnel allegedly giving protection to illegal gambling dens and massage parlours.

Sources familiar with the case said the corporal claimed to be holding the money for his superior, an Assistant Superintendent who is now under remand.

“We knew that there was a possibility that we would be finding a substantial amount of money but not that much,” an MACC source told The Star.

The source said the corporal’s claim that he was just holding the money for his superior would be investigated.

“We have both of them in custody, so we will find out more – who the money belongs to, why this man is keeping a lot of cash in his house, and where the money came from,” the source said.

The corporal was picked up at his home at around 2.30pm on Wednesday as the anti-graft body continues its investigation into a protection racket for gambling dens and massage parlours said to be run by senior cops.

He was taken to a court here where magistrate Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman issued a one-week remand order until May 24.

So far, six other police personnel – two district police chiefs with the rank of Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Superintendent, two Assistant Superintendents and two Inspectors – have been remanded to help in MACC’s probe.

Three other individuals, two middlemen and an illegal gambling den operator, are also in MACC custody.

In an unrelated case, an officer with the Subang Jaya district police was remanded for six days over allegations of receiving a RM5,000 bribe.

The 35-year-old inspector was arrested at 1.10pm at his office on Wednesday.

He is alleged to have demanded and accepted the money in return for not bringing a criminal intimidation case to court.

Source: The Star

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Gambling dens masquerading as cybercafes

The recent case in Puchong may be only the tip of the iceberg, with many illegal outlets operating within the Klang Valley. IT’S no big secret. Illegal gambling dens are thriving in the Klang Valley.

From time to time, the local councils and district police have conducted raids, but the mushrooming of these vice dens has led many to accuse the authorities of turning a blind eye to such activities.

Hardcore gamblers know where to go to get their gambling fix, but the public in general are only starting to realise the severity of the situation because of a viral video and several high-profile arrests of cops over the last few days.

The viral video shows two men entering a so-called cybercafe in Bandara Kinrara, Puchong. They rob the outlet and then take turns to rape the cashier in a hidden corner of the outlet.

While police have acted swiftly – one suspect identified from the video is now in custody – it has now transpired that the cybercafe was actually an illegal gambling den.

In fact, this is now the modus operandi of these gambling outlets. You will see a lot of desktop computers when you enter the premises, but the jackpot machines are hidden at the back.

The robbery of the cybercafe itself would have been chalked off as another crime statistic in the police district of Serdang, but the sexual assault of the unfortunate cashier and the subsequent furore on social media have thrust the case into public consciousness.

The truth is, these illegal gambling outlets have long been protected and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) current crackdown on rogue cops serves only to highlight this fact.

The Star reported yesterday that two OCPDs from Melaka – one an assistant commissioner and the other a deputy superintendent – were arrested by anti-graft officers for links to organised crime syndicates.

These two high-profile arrests come hot on the heels of a swoop on four other senior officers in an operation codenamed Ops Gopi. All six of these cops are believed to be in cahoots with illegal gambling and vice operators in Melaka.

So far, anti-graft officers have seized RM186,000 in cash and have frozen the bank accounts of all suspects, totalling more than RM459,000. MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said his officers were in the midst of tracing the links.

“Give us some time to unearth the inner networking. There may be more arrests depending on the course of our investigations,” he said.

What is even more alarming is information that officers in Bukit Aman could also be implicated in this protection racket. Sources say these officers had knowledge of illegal gambling and vice activities and were actively involved in collecting money from them.

The MACC should be commended for their crackdown on rogue cops, but they should also be training their guns on the Klang Valley. As I mentioned earlier, illegal gambling dens are operating with impunity in Selangor. These outlets can be found in Rawang, Klang, Selayang, Shah Alam, Sepang and even Petaling Jaya.

A few days ago, eight policemen were taken into custody in separate raids in the Klang Valley by Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department. But this investigation seems to be focused on drug dealers and their links to crooked cops, the result of which has been a major shake-up in the federal police’s Narcotics Department.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has said that he will not condone or protect those involved in illegal activities. “Stern action will be meted out against any personnel, regardless of rank,” he warned.

Once again, kudos to the cops for trying to get rid of this cancer which has infected the force, but the recent rob-and-rape case at the illegal gambling outlet took place just 1km away from the district police headquarters in Serdang.

Three years ago, StarMetro highlighted the fact that there were up to 40 illegal gambling dens in the Sepang district within a 5km radius. After the exposé, the majority of these outlets were shut down, but recent checks show that a number of them have sprung up again. And almost all them operate behind closed doors.

The outlets could be next to a bank, restaurant, convenience store or even a workshop, but the public remains unaware, thanks to the presence of solid metal shutters and grilles.

However, regular gamblers know that they can get in through a secret door hidden in the stairwell. The door is made of heavily tinted glass with a “no helmet” sticker on it, which serves as a code to identify the outlet.

Another common feature is a switch for a bell on the side of the door. Security is tight as the door and the five-foot way in front of the gambling dens are usually under close surveillance through CCTV.

While fingers are being pointed at police for “overlooking” illegal activities in their midst, questions should also be asked about the roles of the local councils.

The local authorities are quick to take action over unpaid assessment and quit rent, but what about cracking down on illegal gambling outlets that do not have business licences?

The writer believes that these outlets could have obtained legitimate cybercafe operating licences. The onus is on the local authorities to ensure that these business licences are not being abused.

Source: by brian martin

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