MEDIA STATEMENT
The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission must indicate if it took a statement from former Inspector General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador himself in its investigations into the former IGP’s claim that there exists a ‘cartel’ among police ranks.
The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act, 2009 empowers the EAIC to gather the evidence of witnesses physically or by way of a written Statutory Declaration, amongst others, as part of its investigation process and since Hamid is the complainant in this case, obviously a statement ought to have been taken from him.
The findings of the EAIC that such a cartel cannot be confirmed to exist is at odds with Hamid’s stunning revelation in March last year that it does and suggests that such investigations are incomplete.
The EAIC should also reveal who were investigated and if these witnesses had an interest in the outcome of the investigations.
The question of whether statements were taken from independent parties is important as if this was not done, it cannot be said that the findings of the EAIC are impartial.
The effectiveness of the investigation of the EAIC is very much in the spotlight now as Hamid’s revelations must carry considerable weight as he was the serving IGP at the time he made such revelations.
That being the case, he would surely have been privy to information leading to his belief that such a cartel exists.
It is important to note that the EAIC did not find that such a cartel does not exist, but merely that its existence cannot be confirmed.
As such, I urge EAIC chairperson Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan to disclose if a statement was taken from Hamid in the course of its investigations and if not, the reasons it was not.
It is necessary for the EAIC to do so to inspire public confidence in its findings, particularly in light of the serious implications behind Hamid’s said revelations.
Dated this 23rd of February, 2022.
RAMKARPAL SINGH
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
BUKIT GELUGOR
CHAIRMAN NATIONAL LEGAL BUREAU
DEMOCRATIC ACTION PARTY