POLICE officers and personnel involved in misconduct and issues related to integrity, like corruption and crime, will be suspended from work even if they have not yet been charged in court.

Penang police chief Khaw Kok Chin said this was the instruction from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Razarudin Husain during a meeting on Thursday (October 5).

“Razarudin and Deputy IGP (Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay) had reiterated that they would not tolerate any wrongdoing by their senior and junior officers involved in crime.

“Given that the issue of integrity, abuse of power and corruption among police officers and personnel is still rampant, the top leadership of the police has agreed that any officer involved with such issues such as corruption and crime will be suspended even if the case has not been charged,” he said when speaking at the monthly state police contingent gathering in George Town today.

He said all police officers would be held accountable if they failed to uphold Regulation 3C, which is the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

Khaw said all parties in the Penang contingent also needed to be consistent, courageous and firm in enforcing Regulation 3C to ensure effective changes could be made on issues of integrity and misconduct in the police force.

He said the country was in the monsoon transition phase, which would result in heavy rain and the police must be prepared if floods were to occur.

“As such, all District police chiefs, Internal Security and Public Order Department heads and police station chiefs must identify every need and determine flood-prone areas.

“They must also make early preparations, in terms of personnel strength, logistics asset equipment like boats, rescue gear and also temporary evacuation centres,” he said. – Bernama, October 9, 2023.