The Royal Malaysian Police has just received another 'black eye' to its sagging credibility and integrity.

The Kuala Lumpur Federal Court has allowed an appeal brought by five reformasi activists that their detention by the police in their first 60 days under the Internal Security Act (ISA) was unlawful.

The four-member Federal Court panel unanimously agreed that the police had acted in bad faith when arresting the five in April last year.

This latest 'black eye' on the police's image, is quite clearly one that has been 'self-inflicted'. It is a dent that the police has brought upon itself.

What the Federal Court has ruled (though regrettably quite half-heartedly), the court of public opinion had concluded quite some time back — the five were arrested for political reasons.

The implicit message of the Federal Court ruling is that the police had failed to show any proof of the claims that they had made for arresting the five, more than a year ago.

Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai. had told the whole nation, in April last year, that those arrested under the ISA had been planning a series of demonstrations to topple the Government ( The Star , April 11, 2001).

He had very dramatically revealed the existence of "a secret cell within the Opposition...comprising 20 members who were 'very serious' in their objective" ( New Straits Times , April 12, 2001).

He had claimed that the "secret cell" and its members "were in the process of arming themselves with explosives, grenade launchers and petrol bombs" ( New Straits Times , April 12, 2001).

He had given the assurance that the police would present their "case (against the detainees) to be considered by the Executive" ( New Straits Times , April 21, 2001). He had also very confidently claimed that the ISA arrests in April 2001 were not political but "purely a police action" ( New Straits Times , April 21, 2001).

What made Norian Mai's claims even more dubious was his assertion that "those involved in the plot had been under surveillance for some time" and "various tell-tale signs had been noted in September 1998..." ( New Straits Times , April 12, 2001).

The "survelliance" has come to nought and he has nothing to show to date. It was not surprising therefore for the presiding judge of the Federal Court panel to conclude that "the police had failed to rebut the allegations that the arrest was not to investigate their conduct which was said to be prejudicial to Malaysia's security, but merely for intelligence gathering on political issues."

Nor was it surprising to hear the judge's full agreement with the lead counsel of the five that "the police explanations were grossly inadequate, bare denials, hearsay and cannot by any stretch of imagination amount to a credible denial".

It is disturbing indeed that the highest law enforcers of the land have apparently been functioning with the belief that they can go on making accusations and claims for arresting people under the ISA — without offering any credible proof or evidence.

While we can be consoled by the fact that justice and the truth has a way of catching up, if the scenario above were to continue we would very soon find ourselves in a police state.

It is imperative that the police go through a time of soul-searching as to the true nature of their role in society. It must stop allowing itself to be used by politicians.

The public will continue to lose faith in the country's law enforcement arm if it consents to being manipulated and reduced to instruments of bad faith. Norian Mai must decide whether he wants to be a policeman or a politician.