Report: Ex-IGP Hamid says Home Minister Hamzah trying to configure Special Branch for own political gains

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 ― Former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has revealed today that Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin wishes to determine who lead the Special Branch Department (SB) in order for the latters own political gains.

In an interview published by portal Malaysia Gazette, Hamid said that the home minister has been meddling with some of the Branch’s operation, but he did not reveal any details.

“I am not the only one who has problems with the minister, the SB is also unhappy with his actions since a year ago.

“I was informed that the minister has forced the SB to conduct several operations for its own political purposes.

“I cannot reveal what operation because every SB operation is secret but suffice it to say that the objective of the operation is not in line with the mandate given to SB to preserve and manage national security,” he reportedly said.

Commenting further, Hamid said that the SB refused to participate in the operation before reporting it to the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the president of Hamzah’s party Bersatu.

He added that the prime minister agreed that SB cannot be involved in political work, causing the minister to be angry before working with former senior SB officials whose contracts expired last year.

Hamid also claimed that the minister had also arranged measures to make his “boy” ― a former senior SB officer ― to hold the post of Special Branch’s director because the individual was said to blindly follow the minister's instructions.

“As proof, on February 16, the existing SB director was called by the secretary-general of the Home Ministry before asking him to terminate his contract voluntarily, otherwise a month's notice for termination of the contract will be given.

“The minister seems impatient to put his 'boy' to fill the post when the director’s contract will end in mid-June,” claimed Hamid.

Malay Mail is reaching out to Hamzah, his ministry, the police and the SB for comments.

Yesterday, Hamid said he would identify a prominent figure with a “Datuk Seri” title for alleged abuse of power.

In a brief statement to Astro Awani, Hamid alleged that the person abused his power by using a police department, believed to be the Special Branch, for his own political purposes.

However, Hamid did not specify when the disclosure would be made.

Hamid stepped down as IGP yesterday following the expiry of his contract, handing over the position to Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

It was witnessed by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said.