I noted with great interest the prime minister’s statement about the new US president is keeping his word regarding what he promised during the run-up to the presidential election. He promised to close down Guantanamo Military Prison for the \”unlawful detention of unproven criminals or perpetrators of war\”.

And this was among the first presidential orders signed by new US President Barack Obama. The Malaysian prime minister when welcoming this directive said, \”It looks like the US president is keeping his word and that’s a good start. We hope to see many more changes to the US administration\”.

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Dear Prime Minister of Malaysia, can I repeat the same words to you? With the MACC and JAC, you have just kept your word of the promised fight for integrity in this nation; but when will you do the rest of what you promised in 2004?

Furthermore, in law it is said that the first report in terms of evidence is always among the most valid of reports for facts of the case. Technically, a first information report is the first report received by the police about an offence, it may be a police report or the transcript of a 999 call.

What I therefore now find rather amusing is the late A Kugan’s first report by the police. It was such an incredulous bit of misinformation that the AG has reclassified his death as murder and rejected your offivers’ evidence and claims.

Mr IGP, where then is the integrity of the royal police force? The force appears neither very royal, nor knows how to police peace and order. Moreover, it gives the impression that you would rather imprison whistle blowers and peaceful protestors than catch real crooks.

And, Mr Prime Minister, where is your Police Complaints Commission for which you even had a Royal Commission Report but which is still on the shelves?

Mr Prime Minister, are you finally saying that you do not have what it takes? Even though you had even more support than President Obama in terms of popular votes when you came into office. Or, maybe all this is not about political courage at all?

Maybe it is only about moral courage of leadership? Maybe you do not after all have the moral courage to lead, to do what is good, right and true?

Mr Prime Minister, please therefore finish your unfinished business. Remember, your first speech in Parliament when you faltered in invoking the name of God at the conclusion of your first address as prime minister? Remember the feelings and emotions, and the real sense of awe and responsibility that overcame you? Why would you let that burden pass?

It will never come again, but once. Please do not end your term like the former prime minister who cried over his \” perjuangan yang belum selesai \”. Please be the \” saya yang bertanggungjawab \” model of prime minister, instead of the older and decrepit \” saya yang menurut perintah \” model of public servant.

True leaders a gift from God

You see, like President Obama, yours too was a gift of leadership from God to influence those around you to do what is good, true and right. That is always leadership with moral integrity. You can too, as Obama can!

But, what it takes is moral courage which comes from on high, and not from within! Find that courage in the time you have left and do all you can and leave with satisfaction and a sense dignity and destiny, then you would have served well. Do all this also without fear or favour, because the only real one we need to fear or favour is the only one that matters: our Creator.

So Mr Prime Minister, please look at the mess we are currently in: the police detained a young man and he died in custody and they then issue an allegedly misleading medical report. It took the victim’s family and friends to uncover the cover-up!

I therefore believe that the Selangor police chief and the inspector general of police should resign over this incident because of using the Agong’s name in vain. Why? Because the police are an extension of the royal institution and should exist to only serve the people in the name of the Agong.

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The even more abusing insult to every citizen of the Malaysian Indian community is the fact that two responsible deputy ministers were called in to have their statements taken. What for? Even in my most rudimentary course on problem solving and problem definition at Intan, I taught all my students the very simple approach to define the real problem and not to be distracted by the wrong symptoms.

The real problem, Mr IGP is that a young and healthy man died while in the custody of the police. What is the point of investigating elected representatives of the Malaysian Indian community when there is clearly a murder to investigate?

To me, it is obvious that the confidence in the police force is now lower than after the infamous nude squat case or even after the former IGP was revealed to have the punched a former deputy prime minister.

The reason is simple: we cannot now simply blame Pak Lah for giving such orders. Therefore Mr IGP, I am sorry, but it is time for you to take voluntary leave for your failures so that Pak Lah can retire with a clearer conscience.

You have failed miserably and in the meantime, more deaths have taken place in police custody under your watch. Therefore, you solely must take responsibility and resign. Do not pass the blame to the prime minister.

The buck stops with you as much as it started with the prime minister. What this nation needs are real heroes in blue, not those with power and authority but really those with good morals and high integrity.

We need to recapture the word \” malu \” to mean shame in Malaysia. So Mr IGP, please resign so that you can say to the Agong and all Malaysians: \” Saya yang bertanggungjawab, saya yang malu! \”