Is police reshuffling to position Zulkifli Abdullah as future IGP?

The frontpage of Utusan Malaaysia today highlighted statement by Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim reiterating plan to revamp the top management of police.

It will be due soon after Hari Raya and many officers will awating the news with bated breath.

This is in response to recent arrest by MACC on the involvement of top officers in Melaka, D7 and Narcotic Division in money laundering and corruption.

One or few of the arrests could also be the handy work of problematic MACC officers [read previous posting here].

The general response by the few lower rung police officers contacted  has been welcoming. It is good to revive the image of police. One reservation received is that the revamp done should be transparent and genuine.

Utusan Malaysia report below:

[VIDEO] Rombakan semua jabatan PDRM

Melibatkan setiap peringkat di Bukit Aman selepas Aidilfitri

IPOH 11 Jun - Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) akan membuat rombakan melibatkan peringkat atasan di semua jabatan di Bukit Aman dalam masa terdekat.

Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar berkata, setakat ini pertukaran telah pun dilakukan di Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik (JSJN) Bukit Aman yang melibatkan anggota di peringkat bawahan.

Menurut beliau, pertukaran di jabatan berkenaan melibatkan tidak kurang daripada 20 anggota.

“Pertukaran di bahagian narkotik ini sudah pun bermula melibatkan anggota di peringkat bawahan dan ada sedikit lagi pertukaran akan dibuat. Setakat ini, ia membabitkan tidak kurang daripada 20 anggota.

“Bagaimanapun, suka saya nyatakan bahawa dalam tempoh terdekat ini, PDRM akan membuat rombakan di peringkat atasan, mungkin selepas raya,” katanya ketika ditemui selepas Program Nur Ramadan Singgah Sahur Warga PDRM Perak bersama Ketua Polis Negara di Balai Polis Pekan Baru di sini hari ini.

Mengulas lanjut Khalid berkata, pertukaran melibatkan jabatan di PDRM adalah perkara biasa dan hanya sesekali pertukaran luar bia­sa dilakukan.

“Sebenarnya pertukaran dan perubahan dalam jabatan polis adalah perkara biasa tetapi sesekali ada juga yang luar biasa.

“Bagaimanapun, bagi bahagian yang mustahak, rombakan telah pun dibuat dan selepas ini akan ada lagi pertukaran lain,” katanya.

Akhbar pada 20 Mei lalu mela­porkan Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim mengumumkan bahawa PDRM akan melakukan rombakan besar-besaran bagi mengekang masalah integriti agar tidak terus menular dalam kalangan pegawai dan anggotanya pada masa hadapan.

Langkah itu berikutan kenya­taan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yang mengarahkan 'pembersihan' PDRM dilakukan ter­utamanya melibatkan jawatan dan jabatan yang dianggap sensitif.

The video can be seen here.

One concern with the revamp is the shuffling will only move the problematic top officials from one problem unit or division to another problematic outfit.

The expectation on IGP is to create a sufficiently spacious "freezer" to rehabilitate the problematic ones.

Usually, the problematic ones have issues but insufficient evidence or no direct link to suspected problem of corruption or money laundering or smart partnership collaborations.

Among police, they usually know the whose who. And, it is important that the majority of good, hardworking and honest cop has confidence with the revamping as it affects their morale.

Problems in any organisation usually begin at the head of the fish before spreading to other areas leading to the tail.

Much talked about problematic areas is in D7 relating to underworld, gambling, and vices, Narcotic and internal grouses with logistics.

Speculation is rife on invisible hands dictating actions. Negative perception is certainly not good for police image, thus the revamp.

The revamping may need some restructuring of the police organisation to enable it to be more efficient. It is perceived that there is overlapping of work and authority that attributed to ineffectiveness in certain aspect of police operations.

Partly, it contributed to less than expected success in eradicating the menace of drugs and other crimes.   

If there is a restructuring, it should be performance driven and based on deliverables. It enable lower level officers to be promoted to replace problematic ones.

And, it should also reduce the internal politicking in pursuit for position and power. 

Of ultimate importantance and urgency, the welfare of the police, working environment and living quarters need be taken care of.

As an example, at one one where police quarters is grouped together with immigration and customs, the living condition is in such a delapidated state (daif) that it is described as "other agencies living quarters is 100% better than the police's".

There is speculation that the revamping will be to position the Director for Management, Dato Seri Zulkifli bin Abdullah as the future IGP.

The present IGP is due to retire in September. Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim could be earlier. Unless PM renew any contracts, Zulkifli is a likely successor.

Zulkifli is a former Chief of Police for Kelantan, Perak and Kuala Lumpur. He was subsequently appointed to be Director of Logistics before the present position as Director of Management since August 2015.

He is known to be friendly and close to the media.

Zulkifli was the police official that expressed concern last year that 10,000 policemen are overweight and a trim and fit monitoring by 2018 put into place.

He is concerned with police performance and advocated to cull non performing men. Identified poor performer will be given a year to improve or get the boot.

At the same time, he had been involved to pre-launch the Police Heritage Trust Fund (TAWP).

He has been promoting the services of auxillary police, use of App, community work, community and youth engagement to fight crime, and upgrading of police vehicle.

Current police vehicle and equipment is in dire need of upgrading as vehicle with license plate WBC can still be seen roaming the streets. 

If he is appointed IGP, one immediate order of business is to revamp the Logistics Department as it is a source of leakage of resources that have affected police operations and morale.

Zulkiflie has the experience in these various efforts and position. A position as IGP will allow him the privilage to finish off any unfinished business in the past.

It is important to deliver on the launched program because a major grouse down there is it has yet to reach the ground. A tall order of expectations lies ahead for Zulkifli.