Misplaced priorities in police budget - MP Liew Chin Tong

MP SPEAKS Allocations from the federal budget of 2010, 2011 and 2012 have shown that the government is more interested in using the police to maintain power than to fight crime.

In the context of the heightened crime situation across the nation, it is high time that we examine the priorities of the police through the budgetary arrangements.

It is important to note that the police execute the policies of ruling party or coalition. However, there is no point in blaming the police for misplaced priorities. Ultimately, the policy directions of the police reflect the choices of the government of the day.

The police force was allocated RM4.5 billion in 2010; RM5.8 billion in 2011; and RM6.3 billion in 2012. There is an increase of RM1.8 billion or 40 percent between 2010 and 2012.


However, consistently over the past three years, criminal investigations received only 8 percent of the total allocation. Where did the rest of the money go?

- Management and Logistics jointly consumed 59 percent in 2010 and 55 percent in 2011 and 2012

- Internal Security and Public Order took up 22 percent in 2010, 25 percent in 2011 and 27 percent in 2012 - the allocation went up from RM975 million in 2010 to RM1.46 billion in 2011 and RM 1.68 billion in 2012

Between 2010 and 2012, allocation for this category increased by 72 percent against the 40 percent hike in the overall budget. While the category includes the traffic police and border patrol, it essentially deals with protecting the government rather than protecting the people.

-Intelligence (in particular the Special Branch) received 6 percent of the allocation. A ‘spy’ agency like the Special Branch is not needed in a democracy.

Elaborating on the roles of ‘Intelligence’, Budget 2012 says this is ‘to safeguard the security of the nation by gathering intelligence through secret and open means on communist, subversive and extremist elements and (shielding the nation) from intelligence and spying of local and foreign threats’.

Two decades after the Hatyai Accord, it is comical to target the communists - more so in view of Umno’s recent exchange partnership with the Chinese Communist Party.

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LIEW CHIN TONG is the DAP parliamentarian for Bukit Bendera.