The police force seems to be more concerned with the loss of political power by the ruling party (read Umno) than the people not getting efficient police service, in its deliberation on the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), writes Kim Quek in his article Whom do the police serve?

We in Malaya, later Malaysia, may have lost something inherently valuable along our way. The police force is a law enforcement agency for the nation. It serves the government of Malaysia, not some ruling party be it Umno or the Barisan Nasional conglomerate, or any of its leaders or a combination of leaders.

If some police association leaders take the view that the police force exists to ensure the continued rule of any ruling party, then that view must be as dim-witted as it is ill-conceived, if not absolutely mischievous. Such a view puts any ruling party of any country in a poor light.

Clearly, their salaries, perks and equipment are provided all the time through taxes imposed by the Malaysian government, and not any ruling party. Ruling parties come and go, although in Malaysia the Alliance, and its successor the BN, have held power since Merdeka (or Independence) nearly 50 years ago.

The surest way for the professionalism and neutrality of any police force in any country to be compromised is to nurture, foster and perpetuate an incestuous relationship with the ruling party, or even its leadership.

Any ruling party worth its salt and any leader worth his, will never go that way. They will wisely choose the professional approach, not the incestuous relationship. That is the long view.

All members of the Malaysian police force will do well to remember that they have been invested with powers of investigation, arrest and detention to serve the overall interests of all citizens of our young nation by maintaining peace and security all the time.

Anything less will be a betrayal. Of course, using such powers of investigation, arrest and detention to serve themselves or even their relatives and friends is a betrayal to the interests of the nation.

It is extremely regrettable to note that nowhere in the police association leaders' bulletin is there any mention of the role of the Malaysian police in nation-building. Malaysians must take note of such slips which may well reveal the myopia of these association leaders.