Be responsible, no need to politicise everything when Covid-19 is a bigger problem now, IGP tells politicians

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador today urged politicians to act responsibly when making statements and refrain from turning every issue into a political or racial one.

He pointed out that the authorities have to grapple with the Covid-19 crisis, which is a more urgent issue right now.

He also said that the police have always been impartial in enforcing the law and would not initiate investigations due to political pressure as have been alleged.

“There are those who said we only take against Opposition leaders, but we actually take action against anyone involved, and there are those who happen to be Opposition leaders.

“I am firm and maintain my position that whatever enforcement we do and action that we take is never tied to politics,” he said in a news conference at the national police headquarters in Bukit Aman here.

“My advice to those in the political scene is to please be responsible, there is no need to tie every trivial thing to become a political, or racial issue. We are facing a much bigger problem now,” he added, referring to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Abdul Hamid was asked to comment on the perception that the police force is being used as a political tool to shore up support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

He had initially refrained, when asked, from responding on several political issues which could be deemed as appropriate for police investigations.

He also refrained from commenting if PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s recent assertion that the Sheraton Move which overthrew the Pakatan Harapan government was planned since 2018 and could amount to threatening Parliamentary democracy as alleged earlier today by Klang MP Charles Santiago.

“I am going to choose to refrain from commenting, and only leave them with the advice to not create controversy, and to be respectful and mindful when saying things.

“Leave the police to do our job, and let the politicians duke it out in the proper arena,” Abdul Hamid said, gesturing towards the Parliament building.

Charles had earlier called on the police to initiate investigations against Abdul Hadi for allegedly causing political instability in Malaysia by claiming the Sheraton Move was a long-term plan set in motion immediately after GE14.