A TOTAL of 1,571 police officers and personnel were subjected to disciplinary action last year, Bukit Aman said.

Integrity and Standards Compliance Department director Azri Ahmad said integrity offenders were guilty of not declaring assets, visiting entertainment centres, marrying without approval from superiors, and refusing to accept reports, among others.

Azri said that the breaches were investigated under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

Twenty-three police members were found to be involved in crime, corruption (18), drugs (84), and shariah offences, (48).

“To strengthen the integrity of PDRM personnel, we will focus on six elements this year, namely strengthening governance/policing, complaint management, intelligence/operations, investigation, compliance as well as religious counselling,” he said, referring to the force by its Malay acronym.

He said police would be enabled to improve their conduct through courses, in-service training and academic programmes while a complaint management system known as the e-SPA would allow the public to file their grouses with the force.

The police will also address the problem of personnel involved in drug and ketum abuse, as well as conduct spot checks on frontline personnel on duty to prevent extortion issues at roadblocks and elsewhere.

Azri said complaints would be thoroughly probed so that the personnel in question would be judged accordingly to the facts and evidence.

“As for the compliance element, we are taking a preventive approach by enhancing compliance inspections to eliminate the space and opportunity for misconduct and malpractice among police officers and personnel,” he said.

He said through the religious and counselling elements, the integrity of PDRM staff would be strengthened inclusively by emphasising the aspects of development, prevention and rehabilitation through religious approaches as well as psychology and counselling.

On Malaysians sharing their complaints on social media, he said the complainants should go through the proper channels.

“Sensitive issues, especially those involving dignity, it needs to be done through the appropriate channels by making reports to the relevant parties,” he added.

He said professional action should be taken so that the victim are not exposed to criticism and negative comments that can affect their emotions as well as to prevent the community from making false assumptions about the parties involved.

“I can see that the community now only dares to express dissatisfaction regarding certain issues by sharing them on social media, through WhatsApp and Facebook applications, but refuses to act properly (by lodging a report),” he said.

Azri said they should lodge a complaint to the authorities so that appropriate action could be taken. – Bernama, March 27, 2022.