My Longkang

In the press today I read and applaud Vincent Goh’s (BN-Pelawan) comment on the current situation in the state and the role of the public and the police force.

I agree with almost everything Vincent Goh (BN-Pelawan) said and I only want to add one comment.

I do not agree giving more money to police personnel, in terms of higher pay, did not necessarily mean they would be less inclined towards corruption. We have to give the police the benefit of the doubt. Corruption exists in all police force all over the world. That is human nature and rather a case of a few rotten apples rather than the whole consignment. Giving the police a salary increment would be a first step towards ensuring a better, more efficient police force.

Society is such that they equate respect with the monetary income of individuals. To give them a salary increment would be to give them due recognition for all the hard work put in and improve the living standard of the police officers.

They are human and so are their families. They need stuff to survive like a decent education for their children, adequate income to pay for their monthly expenses and a little put by for emergencies and a nest-egg for their future. With a salary increment there will be less inclination to go the wrong way and it will instill self respect among the force and improve their image in society’s perception.

The police face the burden of risks everyday. There is pressure to perform but the element of self preservation has to be taken into account too. What would happen to their families if something were to happen to them?

There must be adequate compensation for the work they put in. Of course, there are other measures that can be taken to improve the performance of the force. That is needless to elaborate like retraining, updating on current issues, procedures etc. But a salary revision is definitely the order of the day.

Very often, the police are the scapegoat when things go wrong. The focus is wrong. Let us not forget the successful cases solved. Not all cases go to the press.

Vincent Goh (BN-Pelawan) says,“Reward personnel who have done well, and reward them handsomely,” he said, adding that the government should look into this seriously if it wanted to handle the crime-fighting issue effectively. I agree but this should not be at the expense of a salary increment for the police force. It shouldn’t cost the government too much to reward the police officers who do well.

Another factor is the public. ‘Image building’ as what is currently being implemented will go a long way to reduce corruption. Some people think that when cornered, they have to pay a bribe which isn’t true. The people need education on this matter. The people should also shoulder their share of the responsibility to create a safer environment for every body.