PETALING JAYA: Criminal cartels could possible exist within the police force if high-ranking officials are corrupted, says Tan Sri Musa Hassan.
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The former inspector-general of police said that underworld members who wish to buy off a police officer would usually send a middleman first to strike a deal.
“He will approach those who can negotiate, if we refuse to entertain then it will not happen and vice versa,” he said at the Busters Corruption Compass Programme entitled “Corruption punishment is still light” which was broadcast on the Sinar Harian portal on Wednesday (July 13).
The programme also featured panellists including Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Malaysia chapter president Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar and Muslim Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PPMM) exco member Muhammad Hariz Md Yusoff while Zaim Zaini was the moderator.
Musa added that if high-ranking officials were compromised with bribes, they would influence others and these cartels could then exist.
“There is no cartel among civil servants because the cartel is outside, but when the civil servants compromise and follow the wishes of the outside syndicate then there will be a cartel whereby he will place the officers there so that there would be no action taken upon the syndicate,” he said.
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Commenting further on the punishment for civil servants who accept bribes, Musa suggested that punishments be implemented to embarrass offenders.
“Implement punishments that embarrass offenders, for example in corruption cases, punish by caning, implement public canning so that they are afraid to accept bribes,” he said.
Musa added that in addition to caning, offenders who are found guilty of accepting bribes, their properties should be confiscated.
“Often these enforcers are exposed to various temptations.
“For example, if he (the enforcement officer) wants money, he can get money, if he likes entertainment, he can be given entertainment or if he is a womaniser, he can get a woman,” he said.
Musa said, when he was the Inspector-General of Police, he was determined to eradicate corruption in the team by introducing the use of the “saya anti-rasuah” badge before changing it to the “integriti amalan kita” slogan which remains until now.- The Star