Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasized that the government will not tolerate criminals “roaming free,” which could give the public the impression that law enforcement is weak.
Referring to the recent incident in Melaka where three male criminals were shot dead, he said the case will be thoroughly and transparently investigated by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). “I have received assurances from the Inspector-General of Police and the Criminal Investigation Department (Bukit Aman) that the investigation will be thorough and transparent, with no compromise. Their report has been submitted to the Attorney-General today for further action,” he told the Dewan Negara.
The Prime Minister was responding to a question from Senator Amir Md Ghazali on the government’s efforts to strengthen integrity and transparency in law enforcement, aimed at curbing abuse of power and internal leakages, including within the PDRM.
Anwar said the government will not compromise in cases of police misconduct, while stressing that all allegations will be fully investigated according to the law.
On the issue of detainee deaths, he noted that claims suggesting fatalities involved only one ethnic group were misleading. In fact, the victims included Malays (25), Chinese (nine), Indians and Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras (four each), as well as 15 foreign nationals. “Of course, there are certain shortcomings, but portraying the situation negatively would be unfair, particularly towards the PDRM,” he said.
He also urged the public to distinguish between cases of enforcement misconduct and decisive actions taken against criminals threatening public safety, reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening the integrity of enforcement agencies.
Anwar highlighted that cases involving criminals are very small relative to Malaysia’s population of 34.5 million, representing less than 0.5 per cent.
To ensure accountability and justice, the government has established checks and balances such as the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) and the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC), which allow any party to refer cases for further action if dissatisfied with the outcome.
