In an apparent tit-for-tat response, former police chief Musa Hassan has accused former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory panel member Robert Phang of threatening a high-ranking police officer and having him removed from his post.

NONE Musa ( left ) said today the police officer, who is a ‘datuk’ and a PhD holder, had refused to comply with a request to commission a multi-million ringgit project for a company in which Phang was involved in 2009.

The officer, he added, was later transferred out of the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, by current Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar.

At a press conference called in Petaling Jaya by the newly-established MyWatch - of which Musa is the patron - the ex-IGP was asked to respond to Phang's blog post that his NGO is “bankrolled by underworld”.

NONE Musa claimed that Phang ( left ), an independent adviser to Motorola Technology Sdn Bhd, had obtained a project for the company to upgrade the police communications system from the analog to the digital system in 2009.

“I was informed by sources that the police were asked to commission the project when it was incomplete. If the project was not commissioned, (the company) would not be paid.

“So he (Phang) asked a police officer to commission it, but that officer rejected this because it was incomplete. He threatened the officer saying that, if he refused (to commission the system), he would be transferred out.”

Ismail had also called the officer to sign documents to commission the system but the officer stood his ground, claimed Musa.

“The officer was then transferred within 24 hours. Another officer took his place and signed (the documents) so (that the company could) get the money from the project,” alleged Musa.

“This is abuse of power that should be investigated ... It shows that he (Phang) is very powerful in the police force. He can get anyone he dislikes to be transferred.”

When contacted, Phang said he would address the allegations tomorrow. 

‘Not retaliation’

However, Musa refused to name the officer, apart from saying he is an expert in communications and technical matters.

“The victimised officer should make a report,” he said, adding that the Home Ministry should investigate the case.

Musa denied that his allegation was in retaliation for Phang’s open criticism of him, and argued that he has been “forced to do so”.

NONE He further claimed that, during his tenure as IGP, Phang had offered to be his adviser because he had been an adviser to a previous police chief, Hanif Omar (right) .

“I said I didn't need an adviser because I can think for myself,” Musa said.

MyWatch chairperson R Sri Sanjeevan and adviser S Gobi Krishnan, who were at the press conference, demanded an open apology from Phang to the NGO within three days.

Failing this, legal action would be instituted, they said.

“We have a very very strong case against Phang. We have consulted our lawyers,” said Gobi Krishnan.

“That is very bad. If he has personal grudge against me, come after me, not MyWatch,” added Musa.