CRIMINAL Investigation Department (CID) director Suhaily Zain called a spade a spade when he admonished the police crime heads over the problem of corruption within the ranks.

He clearly knew what he was talking about when he said that many were working hand-in-glove with crime syndicates for money.

I assume he meant syndicates involved in vice, human trafficking and gambling although there are a small number of cases of police involvement in serious and property crimes.

It is definitely a big problem and his strong message was a clear indication that he meant business about wanting to clean up his backyard.

More importantly, he was making sure the public knew where he stood. Although we have heard all this before, he should be given all the support and every opportunity to prove himself in this difficult endeavour.

Words alone are insufficient resolve the problem. A former inspector-general of police, Hamid Bador, had also made the same allegations of police being in cahoots with criminals. Even more alarming were his claims that there was a cabal of police officers protecting the two groups.

Sadly he had only words and did not utilise the assets at his disposal to weed out the bad apples in the force. He should have had evidence in hand before making such allegations public.

The new CID director will have his hands full identifying the wolves in sheep’s clothing and kicking them out of the police service.

The risk he has to take is the possibility of being a general without an army while he beefs up his ground troops with the personnel of his choice who share his goals and values.

This is a tall order and he must be given the time, space and support by the whole sociopolitical system to build up a CID that can deliver the goods.

All the best, sir. – October 8, 2023.

* G. Selva reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.