The government must come down hard on corrupt police personnel if it is serious in wanting to create a clean and trustworthy police force, said an opposition leader today.

DAP Penang chairperson Chow Kon Yeow said the government, particularly the Prime Minister's Department and Home Ministry, must employ firm actions to flush out these errant police personnel.

The Tanjung MP stressed that the government must also overcome the declining disciplinary standards in the police force.

He pointed out that corruption had become the biggest obstacle in the efforts to develop a crime-free society.

"The government must exercise a strong political will to weed out corruption in the police force. Otherwise, the so-called `war against crime' will remain as a slogan," he said.

Wrong paymasters

He said it was common knowledge that laymen and syndicated criminals resorted to bribing police personnel to resolve their problems.

Worse still, he said many police personnel, including officers, were known to be under the payroll of these syndicates.

According to statistics, last year 98 officers and 1,040 rank and file personnel faced disciplinary actions, while in 2002 the figures were at 139 and 873 respectively.

"It's alarming. DAP wants the government to wipe out these corrupt policemen and arrest the declining disciplinary standards in the force," said Chow.

The opposition leader was commenting on the special police commission's preliminary report which stated that corruption was allegedly rampant in the police force.

The 16-member commission, set up by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, also found that police personnel used excessive force and lacked discipline.

The report, which highlighted 13 areas that needed looking into, was compiled after obtaining feedback from 26 public inquiries nationwide and meetings with non-governmental organisations and political parties.

Not surprised

Commenting on the issue, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Penang leader Gary V Nair said the commission's findings were hardly surprising.

"Corruption has long existed not only in the police force but virtually in all government departments and agencies.

"But, it has long been swept under the carpet by the government's denial syndrome," he said when contacted.

He cited the existence of illegal immigrants, estimated to be more than a million, in the country as a visible example of corruption in enforcement agencies such as the police and immigration department.

Nair also took a swipe at the police for being overzealous in detaining Indian Malaysian youths under the Emergency Ordinance 1969 for the slightest of offence.

He said many Indian Malaysian youths, most of them first time offenders, were sent off to the Simpang Renggam detention centre "just because they joined a few friends to kick and punch other youths after a drinking spree".

Those arrested under the Emergency Ordinance can be held for a period of two years without trial.

ATHI VEERANGGAN is malaysiakini 's Penang-based stringer.