Police Inspector General can fly

By Pak Bui

Police Inspector General Musa Hassan will conduct an aerial tour of Sarawak, a helicopter “roadshow”, to explain the mysterious Third Force that he says has influenced the Malaysian police. Musa lamented that this Third Force has issued orders to his officers, bypassing the top brass of the police.

Musa made himself the laughing stock of police chiefs worldwide with his statement to Mingguan Malaysia that his authority may be compromised by a sinister cabal manipulating the officers under his command.

“If there is a third party giving orders and yet we do not know who they are, then if officers are doing things wrong, they will become the victims,” he said. Oddly enough, he did not see fit to mention that the citizens of Malaysia are the real victims - of police incompetence.

Presumably Musa means the First or Second Force is Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. Forceful Hishammuddin bullied the China Press into apologising for reporting on March 13 that Musa was about to resign. He then admitted two days later that the report was accurate, there is a planned reshuffle and Musa will indeed be replaced.  The Second (or First) Force must be Musa himself. We presume the Third Force comprises shady associates of top political leaders.

Musa’s bizarre outburst reinforces the shabby and contemptible image of the police in Malaysia. Most police chiefs worldwide make it clear they are in authority, to enforce the power of the state as laid out by Hobbes and Max Weber.

Hobbes postulated that individuals give up their liberties to the state in exchange for security from the chaos of the natural world and other humans. Without the power of the state (and the police), Hobbes thought, there would only be bellum omnium contra omnes: a natural state of “war of all against all”. Weber pointed out that the state insists on a monopoly on the “legitimate” use of violence against citizens. But in Malaysia, it appears the police is at war with itself – not the greatest guarantee of security for our citizens.

Hishammuddin has denied there is any rift with Musa Hassan.  In most democracies, a Home Minister like Hishammuddin, who cannot oversee the police force effectively, would have to resign. But Hishammuddin can only flash his “My father was a VIP” grin and deny he is inept. This of course confirms he is not fit for the job.

Like so many ridiculed ministers before him, he can always claim there is “no need” to resign. Of course, there is “no need” for him to stay in politics and waste the taxpayers’ money either, simply because he wants to be top dog in Umno. But he would never admit this.

Musa’s chequered history includes Machiavellian attempts to remove rivals, and telling a lie in court about owning a law degree when he only has a diploma. Perhaps he harbours a deep-seated envy of real lawyers. This would explain why he encourages his subordinates to arrest lawyers in Ipoh and manhandle lawyers acting for their clients.

Flying tour

Musa’s flying tour will take in Kelantan, where he will oversee the local police doing nothing to stop dirty old men who “marry” (or, more accurately, “rape”) 11 year old girls. He will then fly to Ipoh, to salute his merry men who helped the ugliest Odd Couple on earth, Zambry and Ganesan, depose an elected government. He will travel onwards to Sarawak, to perform charity shows for several large logging and plantation companies.

Musa’s warm-up act is scheduled to be Perkasa, a garage band also known as Perkakas or “tool”. Their act consists of chanting and making silly faces and guttural throat noises. The MACC will follow Perkakas on stage, with its swaggering “smack ‘em up” dance routine. They then spit at the audience and laugh.

During his performances on stage, Musa is expected to recite his “Third Force” speech in gangsta-rap style. He will also entertain us with verbal acrobatics, and try to deny that his police force serves Barisan Nasional (BN) masters by intimidating  BN opponents.

For an encore, an act expected to win the loudest applause, Musa will leave the stage and retire. That would truly be worth waiting for.