A veteran crime journalist whose father was inspector-general of police (IGP), Najib Abdul Rahman threw down the gauntlet to the current IGP Khalid Abu Bakar to stand up for the police force.

Najib wants Khalid to do this despite understanding the Catch-22 situation that the IGP is facing in the midst of the on-going political turmoil.

"I know because my father was the IGP. Whatever it is, he (Khalid) feels that he needs to be loyal to the prime minister.

"PM is his boss while the home minister is his immediate superior. Right or wrong, he is duty bound to protect the PM. That’s his standard operating procedure.

"But it is different when you are talking about this personal constitution," Najib told Malaysiakini in an interview.

Najib has been vocal against Khalid (photo) , lamenting the IGP’s "lack of moral constitution as a leader" through Facebook postings.

"When the IGP looks at himself in the mirror, for one, did he ask himself, am I going to be a soldier of Islam and to uphold the principles of a leader in Islam.

"Two, is he going to be a true leader of his men, that is to say to be the pathfinder for his men.

"Three, is he going to be the protector of people and justice, or is he going to be just a sycophant to his political masters. Only he can answer these questions," Najib said.

In contrast, he said, his father Abdul Rahman Hashim was a no-nonsense person.

Abdul Rahman Hashim helmed the police force from February 1973 until he was gunned down by two alleged communists in July 1974.

Najib (photo) said his father was highly regarded by politicians and ministers even when he was leading the Special Branch before his appointment as IGP.

"When they saw my father’s car enter the compound, they would stop whatever they were doing to greet him. That sort of respect he got back then," Najib shared.

"On the way back, he said, 'Jib, do you know why those ministers have such respects for me? I tell you what, because I know everything that they do. I mean everything and wherever they go.'

“He, himself, was clean. He was incorruptible, they could not buy him," he added.

Royal Malaysian Police deserves better

Mostly, he said, Najib recalled how astute his father was and how he was known as a "leader of men" to the force.

"I’m not looking down at the police, they are next to no one. The police deserve a better leader. Our men in blue are among the world's best, only that police force feels somewhat let down by the leadership.

"Considering the role played by the IGP now, I wish my dad was still be around. I’m just disappointed with the overall standard of leadership of the current IGP.

"He (Khalid) has to decide soon, what he wants to be, (and to) wake up to see all the badges he is wearing, the badges of authority," Najib said.