KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar must resign or be sacked for disobeying the courts in two child custody tussles, an act akin to “mutiny”, a group of NGOs said today.
“Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM) calls upon Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar to resign over his deliberate refusal to comply with two High Court orders in two child custody cases, which is akin to mutiny.
“IIf Khalid refuses to resign, then the necessary procedure of Police Forces Commission must be triggered to result in his dismissal,” the 13-member coalition said in a statement.
It also censured Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for “affirming” Khalid’s action by suggesting the custody cases be referred to the the country’s highest court, the Federal Court.
“PM Najib’s suggestion is tantamount to a declaration that the High Courts have no power to have the Police respect their orders,” it said.
It added that Najib’s statement is not only contemptuous of the High Courts, and all courts other than the Federal Court, but also undermines democracy and civilian rule by encouraging disobedience in security forces.
Last month, the Court of Appeal dismissed Muslim convert Izwan Abdullah’s application to set aside the Seremban High Court’s decision giving his former wife S.Deepa, a Hindu, custody of their two children.
In a separate case earlier this year, the High Court cited Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah for contempt after the Muslim convert failed to hand over his youngest child, Prasana Diksa, six, to his Hindu ex-wife.
Despite two High Court rulings ordering the authorities to act, Khalid said on Wednesday the police will not enforce any decision by the civil courts in interfaith custody battles where one party is Muslim.
He said the police was “sandwiched” between the civil and Shariah legal systems and proposed instead for children caught in custody tussles to be placed in childcare centres, or welfare homes.
Najib suggested that Deepa take the matter to the Federal Court and expressed confidence that the apex court would reach a just decision.
He has so far remained silent about Khalid’s refusal to execute the court rulings.
