The tale of two former IGPs

One is the longest-serving top police officer Malaysia has ever known, someone who left the force with his reputation and image intact. The other is a former top cop who left the force in disgrace after an assault on former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.

One is a former top cop who reached the peak of the corporate world here, and who looks the part in society pages and roundtable discussions on law and order. The other is a former top cop who shuns publicity like the plague and is shunned by the movers and shakers in government.

The contrast between Tun Hanif Omar and Tan Sri Rahim Noor is not only skin-deep. Both were signatories to two historic agreements between the Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya in 1989, watershed agreements that ended the armed conflict between the communists and the government.

But today they occupy opposing sides of the spectrum on public opinion over Chin Peng and the Communist Party of Malaya.

Haniff is part of the strong anti-CPM lobby, the body of Malaysians who do not want Chin Peng to be allowed to step on Malaysian soil.

They argue that the communists inflicted death and suffering on many Malaysians, especially security personnel, and have right to return home.

Rahim is among a group of Malaysians who are guided by the principle that once an agreement has been inked, a line has to be drawn in the sand and the government has a duty and a legal obligation to adhere to the terms of the agreement.

No ifs and buts. No re-opening old wounds.

Hanif made clear his views recently after the High Court ruled that comments made by a former deputy minister against Chin Peng and the CPM were not defamatory.

He pointed out that the former secretary-general of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) had no legal standing.

“It is an illegal operation as it was not registered under the law,” said Hanif.

He said that Chin Peng was in charge of a notorious party which killed thousands of people in the most cruel way, and that a non-registered party had no right making any demands.

This response from Hanif is puzzling, to say the least. If he believed that Chin Peng and others in the CPM were evil and members of an illegal organization, why did he agree to sign the “Agreement Between The Government Of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya.

The agreement reads: The Government of Malaysia and the Communist Party of Malaya, consistent with the common objective for peace, hereby agree to the following:-

Article 1 – Upon the signing of this Agreement, the Government of Malaysia and the CPM shall cease all armed activities forthwith.

Article 2 – The CPM shall disband all its armed units, destroy its arms, ammunition, explosives and booby-traps in Malaysia and Thailand.

Article 3 – Members of the CPM and members of its uits who are of Malaysian origin and who wish to settle down in Malaysia shall be allowed to do so in accordance with the laws of Malaysia.

Article 4 – Malaysian authorities shall assist members of the CPM and members of its disbanded armed units to help them to start their peaceful life afresh.

When Hanif signed the agreement witnessed by among others General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of the Government of Thailand, did he believe that the Malaysian Government was not interested in honoring its obligations?

Rahim has so far not spoken publicly. He was lined up as a witness for Chin Peng but did not get the opportunity to testify for the 85-year-old because the High Court struck out the former CPM leader’s suit.

Still, Rahim’s friends said that he feels strongly about the sanctity of an agreement. In addition, he feels that he is duty-bound to tell the truth given that he is a signatory to one of the two agreements, and was one of the key players in getting the CPM to come to the negotiating table.

He knows that no amount of reparation or words of comfort can bring back the police and military personnel who lost their lives in the fight against the CPM.

As a former director of the Special Branch, he knows of the countless men and women who went in harm’s way to break the will of the communist movement.

Some of his men and women never returned home to their families.

There is no love lost between Rahim Noor and the CPM. But he was a signatory to the “Administrative Arrangement Between The Government of Malaysia and The Communist Party Of Malaya Pursuant To The Agreement To Terminate Hostilities’’ and believes in the sanctity of the agreement.

One is a former top police officer who seems to have forgotten that he was a signatory to a groundbreaking agreement, a rare occasion where communists laid down their arms.

The other is a former top police officer who still believes that what happened on Dec 2, 1989 in Haadyai has to be respected.


comments


Haniff Omar, did you or did you not sign an agreement with CPM and Chin Peng? If yes, then you and the gomen of Malaysia had recognized them as legal entities with full rights as signatories in the agreement. Your actions and deeds after the agreement shows what sort of character you are and also how gentlemanly, Chin Peng is in keeping his word to disband CPM.

See the different type of IGP? That is why if you ask any cop, serving or retired, the best IGP they had was Rahim Noor. The worst was of course Bakri Omar. The second best is Musa Hassan. Norian was a politician type IGP. Rahim Noor was hands-on. Hanif was the longest serving IGP, having hold that position at the age of 34 in 1973 and retired as IGP in 1994 [21 years!!!!!]. What had he done to the policemen is anyone guess.

He had done nothing except to place his cronies in strategic positions. On the other hand, Rahim Noor fought for the men - gave them new uniforms, new quarters, new allowances, new salary, new working environment, new work benefits, and many, many more. No one had forgotten about it.. That was why when he was sentenced to 3 months jail for allegedly injuring an evil man, every cop cried and prayed for his well-being. The 'officer' who instigated Rahim Noor was actually to be blamed. He instigated Rahim Noor by saying the evil man said 'police are dogs', etc. etc. This officer, knowing very well Rahim Noor's feelings towards his men and could not accept such criticisms, should have avoided telling Rahim Noor about it. But of course, this officer has his own agenda.

Please don't link any of the IGP to the corruption level of the Force. Corruption is the oldest criime in any police force around the world. Corruption still occurs in the Force because the those holding supervising roles in the district and contingent level condones it. All want to be popular and does not want to tick their men. They close both eyes. It is difficult to prove it but it happens.

If Musa has a crystall ball to see every bad apple in the Force, I am sure he will put all of them in a oil drum and sent it to the Spartly Islands.