By Gobind Singh Deo

The Prime Minister should take stock of the decision of the Kuala Lumpur High Court today in finding the current Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar responsible for the death of A. Kugan in police custody.
It must have been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister that the conduct of the IGP was seriously in question with the case of Kugan pending but yet the Prime Minister felt it fit for him to be appointed as IGP. Now the Prime Minister is highly embarrassed and he has only himself to blame for not realising the obvious, which is that the court could well find against Khalid in the case, which it ultimately did.

Now we have the Home Minister in a somewhat similar situation. Does the Prime Minister not understand that there is a conflict as the Home Minister is in charge of the police and that he may be found liable for acts which may warrant police action?

How does the Prime Minister talk of greater governance and transparency with appointments like these?

In fact, the Prime Minister should perhaps go to the Federal Court tomorrow morning in Putrajaya to hear for himself arguments in the case involving these allegations against his Home Minister. He will have an opportunity to hear in full, the allegations which are expected to come up during the hearing later if the Federal Court is of the view that the matter should proceed to trial.

The Prime Minister may also want to explain what has become of the investigations into the report.

With all that, the Prime Minister cannot plead his usual ignorance and keep silent. He would, if he did so, prove that he is no reformist and that we cannot expect him to make those difficult decisions which are required of him if we are to really expect any change or transformation in his government. – The Rocket