It is indeed disgusting to see the Star stubbornly clinging on to the grossly erroneous police to population ratio of 1:3000 (correct ratio is 1:300) for Malaysia, in spite of repeated exposure and criticism of such blunder in local websites and listservs, including malaysiakini and Bungaraya (DAP Forum), ever since this erroneous ratio first appeared in Star 's front page headlined reports on June 28 and 29 consecutively.

In a front page report today, headlined 'Calling all cops', Star reported :

"He (Bukit Aman Director of Management) was commenting on the ratio of crime-fighting policemen to the population that was reported to be only 1:3000 although the police force has a total strength of 83,000."

Observant readers will no doubt notice the insertion of the words 'crime-fighting' which were not found in Star 's previous reports. Why add these words this time?

Is it meant to defend the ratio of 1:3000 by vaguely hinting that there is a vast difference between 'crime-fighting policemen' and just plain 'policemen', so that the ratio of 1:3000 may still stand if the non-crime-fighting" police personnel are excluded? If so, is Star prepared to tell us that out of the police force of 80,000, only 8,000 is crime fighting?

Then what do the remaining 72,000 do - fighting the opposition parties to protect the regime of the ruling party? If not, why is Star still stubbornly clinging on to this erroneous ratio to continue to mislead the public and to protect the government leaders from ridicule?

This episode should not be taken lightly, as the top brass of this regime is involved in this mishap, namely the Deputy Prime Minister cum Home Minister ( Star , June 29), Deputy Home Minister ( Star , June 28) and the Inspector General of Police ( Star , July 1). All these leaders have, on these respective dates, stressed this erroneous and ridiculously low police to population ratio of 1:3000 to justify the decision to drastically expand the police force by almost one third of the current strength.

And none of these leaders have publicly acknowledged this blunder. Neither has any newspaper pointed out this error. This is a most glaring example of the local press working in cohort to shield blunders of the regime from public view.