‘Action to be decided only after probe’

IGP: We must first investigate allegations against Sungai Buloh IPD

KUALA LUMPUR: Any action, including an internal reshuffle involving the Sungai Buloh district police headquarters (IPD), will only be decided after the probe into the gambling case in the district is completed, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador.

He said Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Huzir Mohamed had been instructed to obtain reports of gambling activities throughout the country.

“The police will not compromise on illegal gambling activities, not only in Sungai Buloh but in any part of the country,” he said.

He said the top brass in the police needed to be fair and to first investigate the alleged misconduct of officers and personnel from the

Sungai Buloh IPD.

“Investigations have been conducted by Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS) from the very beginning, before this matter became viral and so far, no policeman has been arrested.

“Once the investigation is completed, the police will decide on what action to take.

“Give us some time and I assure you the case will not be delayed,” he told reporters after attending the handing over of duties ceremony of the director of the Bukit Aman Logistics and Technology Department at the Senior Officers Mess in Bukit Aman here.

However, regardless of the outcome, a major reshuffle is still on the cards due to the retirement of several senior and top officers in the police force, said Abdul Hamid.

“A major reshuffle will occur within these two weeks as several high-ranking officers are retiring.

“The changes are not related to the issue in Sungai Buloh as the matter is being investigated by Bukit Aman JIPS,” he added.

Abdul Hamid also warned his officers and personnel not to disclose information of whistleblowers.

“If I find out that there are officers or policemen who have revealed the identity of the informant, I will take action under the Penal Code directly,” he said.

In the meantime, if people face obstacles getting their information on crimes through, Abdul Hamid advised the public to relay the information directly to Bukit Aman.

“I encourage any method to convey information on criminal incidents,” he said.

He also said that the allegations against Sungai Buloh district police chief Supt Shafa’aton Abu Bakar, claiming that she didn’t take action after the videos surfaced, were not true.

“The Sungai Buloh district police chief has taken action and social media allegations that she denied the existence of gambling activities in Sungai Buloh are not true,” he said.

Recently, two video clips – posted on Hot Burger Malaysia’s Facebook page by 42-year-old Mohd Asri Hamid known as “Asri Janggut” on the social network – claiming that authorities are not taking action against gambling activities in Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh had gone viral.

Bukit Aman CID deputy director (Investigation/Legal) Deputy Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said Mohd Asri would be called in to give a statement this week by the CID Classified Criminal Investigation unit.

He said an investigation was being carried out after two police reports were lodged at the Travers and Jalan Tun Razak police stations yesterday over the matter.

“The investigation is being conducted in accordance with Section 505 (c) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,” he added. — Bernama