OUT-OF-CONTROL CRIME: Don't lie to the public - Nurul, Kee Kwong slam Zahid

UPDATED VIDEOS INSERTED KUALA LUMPUR - PKR leaders Nurul Izzah and Tan Kee Kwong ticked off Home Minister Zahid Hamidi for linking the abolition of the Emergency Ordinance with the increase in crime, saying that was a 'lame excuse' for wanting to re-introduce the archaic law or to object to Prime Minister Najib Razak's promise to also remove the equally draconian Sedition Act.

"Clearly we are not looking at it objectively. The Emergency Ordinance has no relation to the increase in crime. In the year 2012, our then Home Minister had decided to release 1,467 hardcore criminals under the EO. He did so and he said only 0.27% of them or 4 out of 1,467 went back to repeat their criminal activities. So it is rather negligible. Before we panic or we decide to reintroduce, I am asking Zahid, please get some briefing from the previous minister," Nurul, the MP for Lembah Pantai, told Malaysia Chronicle at the sidelines of the Parliament lobby on Monday.

"We have to tackle crime on the issue of redeployment. We don't have enough policemen on the ground. We have one policeman for 270 Malaysians but guess what, only 9000 plus are involved in CID. The rest 106,000 in all are involved everywhere else. We have to be mindful of this problem and not politicized the versions of the solutions."

Blame game

Rising or even out-of-control crime as well as the much-awaited repeal of the Sedition Act are among the hot topics in Malaysia this week, following several high-profile robberies involving BN politicians including Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and MCA Raub division chief Lim Sing.

Amid intensifying public pressure, Zahid and Inspector General of Police Khalid Bakar have blamed the repeal of the Internal Security Act and Emergency Ordinance for the increase in crime.

Zahid also attempted to use the ISA and EO repeals to speak out against a promise by Najib to abolish the Sedition Act. Additionally, he gave warning that a new Bill to replace the EO would be tabled in September.

"The reality is that it has to be accepted if enough power is given to the police force to charge the offenders. As such, we are going to give least priority on the detention without trial," Zahid Hamidi said this after launching the International Anti-Drug Day over the weekend.

Time for a public inquiry on alleged illegal nexus between Underworld, Cops & Politicians

Meanwhile, as Zahid and the police chiefs played the blame game, calls are growing for the government to launch an public inquiry into an "illegal nexus" between the underworld, the police chiefs and the politicians.

According to MP for Wangsa Maju, Tan Kee Kwong, the controversial issue was a long standing one but has always been swept under the rug by the BN government.

However, with crime rising instead of abating and the government's steadfast refusal to implement an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission, it was time for the public to demand answers and accountability.

"This is nothing new. The MP for Bintulu made the accusation in Parliament many years ago, how come the underworld in Sarawak was like running the state. We want to know.

"Even we arr told some IGPs in the past were so friendly with the big taikos (gangster kingpins) and there are some dubious characters who get Datukship and even Tan Sri-ships (titular awards from the royalty). Don't the people in charge do background checks? And there was also a big hoo-ha over Simpang Renggam (where the country's largest drug rehabilitation centre is sited). How come the Deputy Minister sign the order to release some of the big gangsters from Simpang Renggam - a so-called mistake. How did this mistake happen?"

Malaysia Chronicle