Are there any safe places in Malaysia?

I attach 2 news reports by NST below for you to analyze and see how contradict between the Home Minister and the NS CPO. I held a press conference just now and raised a few questions that needs to be answered by the police and the Home Minister.

Please see my points after the article.

Negri Sembilan police confirm drug theft by detainee

2008/08/13

SEREMBAN: Police yesterday confirmed that a detainee was responsible for the theft of 3kg of drugs from their evidence room more than two months ago. State police chief Datuk Osman Salleh said investigations into the theft of the drugs, believed to be evidence from a drug haul worth RM1.2 million in May, had been completed. He said the case had been sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Osman, however, did not want to reveal if the 3kg of ketamine were recovered.

"That is for us to know. The police know where it went," he said on the missing evidence linked to an international drug syndicate, at a press conference here yesterday.

Osman, however, took offence at the New Straits Times' front page report yesterday which said that the stolen drugs were shared among detainees in the cell at the Seremban district police headquarters.

He said the prisoners did not have a "party" as reported, adding that the report implied that the detainees were high on drugs.

"This gives the police a bad image," he said, adding that the reporters who wrote the article would be called to have their statements recorded.

He claimed that the facts in the report were wrong and that the newspaper should apologise as it was published on the front page.

Asked if police would be taking action against the policemen on duty on the night of the theft, Osman said it was an internal matter that would be handled accordingly.

"It was just a weakness on our side which we have rectified."

The New Straits Times reported that the 30-year-old detainee was brought to the lock-up from the Sungai Buloh prison in June to be tried in the Seremban Sessions Court for various offences.

The detainee allegedly used a piece of metal pulled out from the toilet retainer in his cell and picked the lock in the cell. He then allegedly picked the lock at the evidence room where he stole the drugs and shared it among the detainees in his cell.


Change all locks, orders minister
By Hamidah Atan

2008/08/14

PUTRAJAYA: Lock systems at all cells and evidence rooms in police stations nationwide will be changed immediately. The order was given by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar following the theft of drugs from the Johor and Seremban police headquarters in the last two months.

The two incidents, he said, showed that security at police stations and other government buildings must not be taken for granted.

"This is what happens if such things are taken lightly and standard operating procedures not followed.

"Although action has been taken against those involved, the locks must be replaced immediately to prevent a recurrence."

On the Seremban case, he said: "I was told that they brought a remand prisoner, who is a key expert, to clean the lock-ups. This person seemed familiar with the people (policemen) there.

"As far as I am concerned, the officers in this case did not pay attention to procedures. They took things for granted."

Syed Hamid said police officers must comply with the standard operating procedures.

"If they comply, they will not leave prisoners unattended no matter how friendly they are with them. These are prisoners with records!"

On the allegation that the prisoners had a drug party, he said: "I was told there was none. But they are still investigating."

He did not dismiss the possibility that some of the drugs which were stolen were flushed down the toilet to get rid of the evidence.

"I don't think there should be any excuse. Still, these incidents have occurred and remedial measures must be taken."

The stolen ketamine is believed to be evidence from a drug haul worth RM1.2 million in May in which five members of an international drug syndicate were arrested.



Based on what the CPO and Home Minister said on the incident,many mind-boggling questions arises.

1) Is our police station safe? Why the most "security-sensitive" area can be so easily broken into? If even police stations are not safe, are there any safe places in our country?

2) The CPO did not deny the earlier NST report that the whole incident was captured by CCTV. My question is if it was captured by CCTV, why the police did not take action immediately at the time of incident? Was the control room in the IPD which monitored all the CCTVs not manned by any officers? How can this be? The control room must be monitored at all times, isn't it? If the officer in the control room failed in his duty, shouldn't he or she be suspended immediately?

3) If the CPO is so sure that the so-called "drug party" never took place, why there is a need of further investigations as said by Syed Hamid?

4) Syed Hamid said "This person seemed familiar with the people (policemen) there". This is very serious. This statement can give the impression to question that whether the whole incident was the job of the detainee alone or was it a coordinated theft?

5) To Syed Hamid, it is not the locks that need to be changed, it is the system in the police and the officers that need a change!

Many questions are arising from this incident. I will definitely raise this issue in the coming Parliamentary session in the very first instance where i have a chance to quiz the Home Minister or his deputy.

I call on the Anti-Corruption Agency to probe into the matter as it was not proper for the police to do the investigations involving their own turf. .