THERE is nothing new in politicians interfering with police affairs as it has happened even during his tenure, said Musa Hassan.

The former Inspector-General of Police told Utusan Malaysia the intrusion disrupted police operations.

“During my time, there were politicians who asked the police to release their gang members and there were also those who gave instructions to state police chiefs without my knowledge.

“These political interferences in investigations have occurred to the point it disrupted investigations,” he told the Malay language daily.

He told the daily this after outgoing Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador warned last Friday that the country was on a slippery slope if politicians meddled in or interfered with police matters.

Hamid trained his guns on Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, whom he said had overstepped his boundary in interfering with police matters.

He was referring to the recent promotion and transfer exercise involving senior police officers, which the home minister had allegedly put to a stop.

“A minister cannot interfere in the affairs of the police force. The minister is only empowered to set policies.

“Don’t get upset, (if I say), the home minister has too much power. Come on,” he told editors in a press conference at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

The IGP said political interference in police affairs must be stopped immediately for the future of the country.

Musa, who was the IGP from 2006 to 2010, told the paper that no one had absolute authority in the matter of changing and appointing officers serving in the police force. 

He noted the Police Force Commission (PFC) chairman can only give the IGP the power to change or appoint any officers. The current PFC chairman is Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin. – May 2, 2021.