Law and Order Pt 1: The Interview

Normally, I will not cut and paste text from certain news site, but this was just too good. Column and Apai Salleh commentary to follow in Part 2:

The last time Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing made waves was during the Johor floods — he and his party, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, gave RM3 million to the victims. On March 29, the MP for Bintulu painted a picture of Sarawak, particularly Sibu, being run by gangsters and called for the chief police officer to be removed from the state. He tells V. VASUDEVAN why he chose to speak out.

Q: You say gangsterism is flourishing in Sarawak. Why do you think this is happening?

A: I feel the police have failed to perform. If the police are performing, I don’t think the gangsters can have a field day. Sibu is a small town, so don’t tell me Special Branch is not picking up anything from the coffee shops.For example, when people go to report a crime involving gangsters to the police ... before they have walked out of the station, the gangsters are calling to intimidate them and asking them why they went to the police.In some cases, when a vehicle gets stolen, the owner goes to the police station. While waiting to make his report, he gets a call from the gangster saying: "Anytime you can get the stolen car back, but you have to pay."Who is running the police station? Who controls the station? I can tell you that in Sarawak this is happening in every police station.

Q: What must be done now to solve the problem of gangsterism?

A: I think drastic action must be taken. If we don’t, every time we talk, the public will lose confidence in the police force and we politicians. Nobody will trust the police or us.

Q: You have been outspoken. Are you not afraid that the gangsters will attack you? After all, your complaints in parliament have got the Inspector-General of Police going to the state to investigate.

A: Put it this way. My late father told me: "Since you have made up your mind to become a politician, you better think of what you need to do in the interest of the rakyat." I am prepared for the worst. A person only dies once.

Q: It appears that you are the only Sarawak MP who is concerned about this gangsterism problem. The others are either not bothered or don’t share your view:

A: I can’t answer on behalf of other Sarawak MPs. Maybe they have other priorities and want to raise those concerns in the Dewan Rakyat.

Q: How can MPs help in the fight against gangsterism?

A: We can try by helping them to turn over a new leaf. I have urged them to do so in a speech in Bintulu. We can assist them to reform, but they must face the consequences for the crimes they have committed.

Q: Your call for the Sarawak chief police officer Datuk Talib Jamal to be transferred out of the state was quite drastic. Why are you being so harsh?

A: In recent months, there have been several murders in the state and a drastic rise in illegal activities. I see no action from the police and, worse of all, for me as a politician, are the repeated complaints from the public about the government not taking any action. To me, something had to be done. So I made the call in parliament.

Q: Have you ever taken your complaints to the CPO?

A: I called the CPO’s office several times for an appointment. Unfortunately, I failed to get an appointment. So the only way left for me was to raise the issue in parliament.

Q: Describe your relationship with the police in Sarawak in general.

A: I have no problems with them. I am only bringing up matters of interest to the rakyat. It is something that I can’t run away from as an elected representative.

Q: At what point did you realise the problem with gangsterism had gone out of control? Last year, early this year or last week?

A: Actually, gangsterism in Sarawak did not become an issue today or last week. When I started as an MP in 1999, it was already there. But it has steadily become worse, to the point that the public is complaining.

Q: Police say they have taken action and have given statistics.

A: Yes, they have. But their action is not comprehensive or convincing. Here is how they work. Sometimes a police station in a division (a district in Sarawak) will take action and the gangsters will flee to the neighbouring division. Take Bintulu. The police take action in our area and the gangster flees to the neighbouring town or division.They (the police) must collaborate and take action but they are not doing this. I have called on all divisions to work together but they have not.

Q: Surely you can see that the police have been trying? Are you not being unfair?

A: They may have smashed a gang, or several gangs, but their leaders are still walking the streets. Take this leader of a gang in Sibu who was said to have lopped off the head of a rival with a samurai sword. He is still walking about in Sibu. That is what the public there tell me. So what kind of ’smashing’ is this? Even after they conduct operations or raids, the street talk is quite alarming. There is talk the police had not declared everything that was seized in an operation. I don’t think this type of talk can be believed but I don’t think it would emerge if there was no truth to it. You don’t hear this kind of talk in Kuala Lumpur, do you?

Q: Has the CPO or Sarawak police called you to interview you about what you have been saying in parliament?

A: No. But as a matter of fact, before the current session started, I did write to the IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, seeking an appointment to meet him as the Youth chief of my party (Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party) to discuss security issues in the state. Unfortunately, the IGP was busy. I hope in the near future, we (SPDP Youth) can sit down with him and tell him the problems on the ground.

Q: Has the Chief Minister and Sarawak BN chief Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud asked you about this?A:

No.

Q: What has your party chief Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom got to say?

A: He advised me, for the sake of the rakyat, to go ahead. I have informed my president about the problems in Sibu.

Q: The IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, says he is willing to go to parliament and meet MPs to discuss the issue.

A: He is most welcome.

Q: The IGP said politicians might be connected to gangs. Your comment?

A: If our SPDP members are involved or have supported gangsters, we will be happy if the police take action against them. Our party will act against such people, too.

Q: Your repeated claim that Sibu is a paradise for gangsters has got people asking if you have a motive. Is there a problem between you and Sibu MP Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew? Is there any political friction between your party and his (Lau is from Sarawak United Peoples Party)?

A: No. No. I am doing my job as liaison chief in Sibu for my party. I am the liaison chief for 14 divisions in SPDP and Sibu is one of them. Sibu folk tell me at our meetings that I am a politician, a youth chief and if I can’t help, what is the point of being a politician? That is a fair statement; so I am acting.

Q: Is the gangster problem confined to areas or towns in Sarawak where there is a large Chinese community?A: No, it is everywhere in Sarawak.