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THE National Patriots Association (Patriot) registers its best wishes to our country’s police force, as Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) marks its 215th Police Day Anniversary on March 25.
As retired members of the police force who now dedicate their voluntary services as Patriot members, we fully appreciate the long, historical and meaningful role soldiered on by the Malaysian police force these over two centuries.
This journey of over 215 years is no mean task, and the sacrifices and commitment of tens of thousands of police personnel deserve recognition and support from government leaders and the public, who all had a stake in the good track record of our police force, whose mission has always been to safeguard the public from criminal elements.
Patriot is mindful of the fact that there are bad cops. But the truth is, good cops always outnumber the bad apples in the force.
In this regard, and on this Police Day, which sees the 215th anniversary celebration of PDRM’s long history of service to the nation and its citizens, Malaysians – the public, civil society leaders, lawmakers and government leaders – will appreciate the good work of sincere and hardworking police personnel.
We, retired police personnel at Patriot, continue to pledge our loyalty and cooperation in the best interest of all serving police personnel who uphold the vision and mission goals of PDRM.
And in this regard, we condemn the bad apples who continue to bring disrepute to the good name and great work of sincere police in all ranks and file.
Perhaps, on this 215th anniversary, PDRM, in renewing its pledges to serve the nation and citizens in an ever-changing crime scenario that is fast emerging in this new century, will give added focus to the following.
Firstly, it is time to give emphasis to the body and mind requirements for all personnel. We need to not only look into the performance of the force, but the appearance and state of being of our cops are equally important to the image and reputation of PDRM.
Hence, our cops need to be physically fit. And to demand such fitness from our cops, the government must allocate facilities and the budget to ensure that cops recognise the merits and demands of being fit in their uniforms.
Improving working conditions and hours on duty will go a long way in shaping the mindsets and the mental state of our cops. A lack of national budgets, or expecting the PDRM to find its own sources for budgets, will continue to weaken our police personnel.
Secondly, after 215 years of service in nation building, it is a fact that working conditions and facilities are still way, way far behind in comparison to what Putrajaya enjoys or even what is provided for staff members of government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies.
Among giveaways of such a situation is the breakdown in computers, printers and IT connectivity; the worn out chairs and lack of space at workstations; and the state of motorbikes and patrol cars.
In order to ensure that these tools of work are not compromised, ignored or cut to fit diminishing budgets, we need a government will that recognises that the work of the cop today is far more challenging than it was a hundred – or even thirty – years ago.
Thirdly, while serving the public and ensuring their safety and security are among PDRM’s central roles, the police force needs appreciation, support and encouragement, like any other human organisation.
Give police truthful media coverage, protection from political interference
In this regard, media that keep highlighting the good work of the cops are commended by Patriot, as it helps shape mindsets and perceptions within and outside the force.
Likewise, the media must also not shy away from doing so, owing to the demands of political correctness in reporting what is going wrong within the force, just as much as reporting on external interference will help earn confidence within and outside the force.
Fourthly, politicians and political parties must learn fast how not to interfere with the work of the police.
After 215 years of its existence, perhaps a counter-productive culture could have easily seeped into the force, as politicians will not stop at anything in ensuring that they gain mileage in their quest to remain popular.
Political interference will affect the morale of all good cops and is infectious in a culture where patronage is often a mantra to get on by being in the good books of the powerful.
Fifthly, combat-ready and fit trained police personnel are an asset to any nation. As such, the government should invest in this human capital that should not go to waste upon retirement.
Perhaps it is also timely to revisit the optional retirement age, so that employability is not weakened.
In this regard too, the government should seriously explore making a compulsory national police cadet service for school leavers and fresh graduates. It offers immense opportunities to instil many benefits among citizens.
Our young will be more disciplined and more knowledgeable about the rule of law when they enter the work environment. They would be mentally and physically fitter. And the two years of compulsory cadet service would have given them the skills and knowledge of self-defence tactics that can go a long way in responding to any criminal situation in public places.
Hopefully, our leaders and lawmakers will take cognisance of these suggestions, which Patriot presents as a bouquet to our dedicated PDRM personnel on the occasion of their 215th anniversary celebrations of the police force.
Long live the motto of our dedicated Malaysian police force: “Polis dan Masyarakat Berpisah Tiada” (never shall the police and people be apart). – The Vibes, March 24, 2022
Datuk Zulkifli Mohamed, a retired deputy commissioner of police, is the deputy president of the National Patriots Association