PETALING JAYA, Feb 24 — Claiming the country’s police chief had tainted the police force by fertilising a “culture of fear” with the latest spate of arrests of government dissenters, a group of civil society organisations today demanded Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar step down from his post.

The group of non-governmental organisations that included Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and polls watchdog Bersih 2.0 also pressed for the reform of the entire police force.

“We also urge the Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to resign because many of his statements and actions have tainted the image of the police,” the group said in a news conference here today.

“We believe all this has created an environment of fear of ‘Culture of Fear’ amongst the people to silence the voices critical towards the government,” it added.

Also in attendance is Suaram coordinator Syukri Razab, Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshini, Lawyers for Liberty legal campaign coordinator Michelle Yesudas and several others.

The group called for the government to carry out the 30 recommendations from the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.

The NGOs also asked for the police to be schooled on the fundamentals of human rights in the country.

Following the Federal Court’s decision to jail Anwar on February 10, Khalid ordered sedition investigations against DAP’s Nga Kor Ming, PKR secretary-general Rafizi and political cartoonist Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque or “Zunar” as he is popularly known.

Zunar was arrested the same day.

Activists Adam Adli Abdul Halim and Fariz Musa were detained at a pro-Anwar rally outside a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Suaram’s Syukri added that although the civil societies have yet to come up with a plan to push for Khalid’s resignation, he is resolute in their continual demonstrations to pressure the police force.

“All we can say is apart from planning, we will be consistent with our statement, our criticism, towards the police especially.

“And we will continue to be consistent with our protests, we will be in solidarity with the group,” he said, referring to youth groups calling themselves “Kita Lawan” (We will fight) who have vowed to continue holding rallies to protest Anwar’s imprisonment.

Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said the creation of the D5 special police unit, which is tasked to carry out sedition investigations, is merely a temporary solution.

If you want to seriously want to reform the institution, do it in a comprehensive, long-term so that we know that we are heading to a much more open space, democratic space, and people can actually talk to each other without feeling that ‘If I say something, I might get the Sedition Act,’” she said.

Yesudas added that the police should focus on criminal policing instead of arresting dissidents who express opinions on social media.

Civil liberties lawyer New Sin Yew and Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen have said that the recent spate of arrests are a repeat of the 1987 Ops Lalang, which was a security crackdown over fears of racial clashes stemming from allegations of interference in Chinese vernacular education.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng have said, however, that though the arrests are building in intensity, it has not escalated to mimic Ops Lalang.