KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) must be given the space to enforce the law independently regardless of position or background if the country wants to have a world-class police force.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said firm action without favoritism is the main key to ensuring that PDRM continues to be respected and trusted by the community.
“We don’t care who, government party or opposition party. If you cross the line of the law, arrest. Only then will people respect the police force,” he said at a press conference after the Handover Ceremony of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here yesterday.
Earlier, Bukit Aman Special Branch director Datuk Seri Ibrahim Darus was appointed as the Acting Deputy Inspector-General of Police starting today.
Ayob Khan meanwhile also stressed that he is not interested and has no intention of joining politics after completing his service.
“We leave politics to politicians. I am not a politician. If you want me to be a statesman, perhaps. What is the difference between a statesman and a politician? Politicians think about the next five years to stay, but statesmen think about the next 20 years,” he said.
Commenting on the allegations of political interference throughout his career, Ayob Khan said that although the question was sensitive, he gave an example of his actions when he headed the Counter Terrorism Division in 2019.
At that time, his division arrested 14 or 15 individuals suspected of being involved with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group, including two State Assemblymen from the then government party.
“I arrested them as well, does that show there is political interference? There is none. If they cross the line, no matter who, I will arrest them,” he said.
Ayob Khan will be taking compulsory retirement tomorrow after serving for almost 35 years with PDRM.
Throughout his career, Ayob Khan has held various important positions, including in the Special Branch including the Counter-Terrorism Division, Johor police chief, director of the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID), and director of Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) before being appointed as Deputy Inspector-General of Police in June 2023. — Bernama
