Police force must show serious and sincere commitment to enhance operational professionalism

News Straits Times of February 5, 2006 reported comments from several high ranking police officers ranging from District Police Chief to State Police Chief, on the practice of shaving balk lock-up detainees.

Penang Police Chief Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee is reported that extreme discretion was exercised on a case-by-case basis. Datuk Christopher Wan also stressed that “it is the officers of the police station of lock-up, or the district police chiefs to decide whether to cut (note: cut but not shave) hairs of lock-up detainees.

Other interviewed high-ranking police officers included Sarawak Sri Aman Police District Chief ACP Hamid Bulat, Malacca CPO Datuk Ayob Mohamed, Miri District Police Chief ACP Fauzi Saadi Diol, Johore Bahru South Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Roslan Ahmad and Perak Police Chief Datuk Zainal Mohd Tahir, who either clarified that they only trim (but not shave), they do not shave peoples’ heads or they are not away whether this happened to detainees in their respective district with Miri District Police Chief ACP Fauzi Saadi Diol even mentioned that he personally do not think that this is necessary.

These clarifications, although are much welcomed in throwing us some light of how exactly police handle lock-up detainees, also caught all of us in confusion, of whether Mohd Noor Hakim’s earlier statement that shaving “was mandatory under Section 9A of the Lock-Up Rules” or it is only his own discretion that shaving was mandatory?

The next question is whether the police are exercising different set of rules and regulations in this country when carrying out their duties? If the answer is negative, then this will affect public confidence on the police force, of whether the force is upholding professionalism whereby any “Standard Operating Procedure - SOP” must be deemed to a an SOP understood, adopted and practiced by everyone in the force, ranging from the lowest ranking policeman to the Inspector-General of Police.

Or the Ministry of Internal Security shall consider sending the entire police force for ISO 9001 certification to ensure that they follow the same rules and regulations, not only in handling lock-up detainees but also in their works?　Will there be a third Royal Commission on “Botakgate”? Needless to say, after going through two Royal Commissions on Police, the force itself has already gathered enough ideas, inspirations, proposals and suggestions to enhance their professionalism and regain public confidence.

A third Royal Commission will only imply that the force is still seen as insincere and non-committed towards operational professionalism, especially in handling lock-up detainees even after two different Royal Commission which were both chaired by former Chief Justice Tun Dzaiddin, that a third Royal Commission has to be set-up to probe the matter.

Not other police force in any countries would allow such scandal to continue infesting their Police Force after two Royal Commissions on Police Force in two years.

Former IGP, Tun Haniff Omar had questioned in his interview with yesterday Malay Mail about the precise word used in the provision of Section 9A of the Lock-Up Rules 1953 which may have caused misinterpretation. He has specifically mentioned that “obviously the Section needs to be reviewed and its true meaning be made clear to all police officers.”

Police force must show serious and sincere commitment to enhance operational professionalism. Therefore, Kajang District Police Chief Mohd Noor Hakim and Selangor State Police Chief Datuk Yahaya Udin are urged to come clear especially remarks from their colleagues and queries from former IGP on the practice of having heads of lock-up detainees shaved bald.