We need to support our police officers and make sure that community policing becomes something that becomes the standard across the country.
– Chris Christie, ex-New Jersey Governor
I’m delighted that at long last, an Iban police officer has been appointed Sarawak police commissioner.
Datuk Mancha Ata has created history on Nov 10 (which was a long time coming) when he took over as the new Sarawak police commissioner.
I may not be a Dayak or an Iban but let me state this very sincerely; I’m over the moon as a fellow Sarawakian that our very own “son of the soil” has now been deemed fit to lead the Sarawak police contingent. Heartiest congratulations on your promotion, Datuk Mancha.
It is a fact that many senior Sarawakian police officers have been bypassed for the top job in Sarawak over the years. It beats me to see many officers from Malaya taking over as Sarawak CP at regular intervals.
I’m a keen observer of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and I regularly keep abreast with developments at Bukit Aman, PDRM’s national headquarters.
A month ago, on Oct 11, I wrote in Malaysiakini an article titled “A few good men in Bukit Aman”, that “we must have noticed that there has been a serious revamp in Bukit Aman over the past few months, hopefully for the better”.
I believe there are a few good men at the top in Bukit Aman now who are actually serious about their job as police and law enforcers.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has projected himself as a leader with zero tolerance for corruption and I believe it is also his wish to have clean and trustworthy leaders at the helm in Bukit Aman.
I see Anwar’s hand in the appointment of top cops and a succession plan in PDRM aimed at ensuring that only forthright and incorruptible men head the police force over the next decade, at least.
The appointment of Mancha Ata as Sarawak’s top cop, I can confidently speculate, is part of that revamp. The responsibilities on Mancha’s shoulders are heavy but I believe our new CP will live up to the expectations of his bosses in Bukit Aman and that of his fellow Sarawakians.
I’m very happy with Mancha’s appointment because it was only on March 30 last year when I lamented in this column: “Are Sarawak police officers only fit to be No 2?”
That was not the first time I’ve posed this question and I don’t think it would be the last. For as long as eligible and qualified Sarawak officers continue to be “sidelined” for the top post of Sarawak CP, there will be Sarawakians like me who will harp on the issue.
Let me repeat that “I have written about this subject on several occasions and will continue to do so in the interest of fair play and justice for the men in blue in Sarawak”.
It’s unbelievable and inconceivable that police officers who are Sarawakians are unqualified to be the top cop in their homeland.
Better believe this. Since Independence in 1963, and that is 60 long years ago, we only have four Sarawakian police commissioners, including Mancha, helming the Sarawak contingent. The other three were Tan Sri Hamdan Sirat, Datuk Awang Ehsan Joini and Datuk Seri Mortadza Nazarene.
Promotions in PDRM might not necessarily be on merit – you need a bit of luck and in most cases, strong political connections.
Even mistakes were made in the appointment of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Bukit Aman directors in the past. We have noted a few who had misbehaved while in office. Who could forget Anwar’s black eye and the director caught with millions.
I have heard that very few Sarawakian police officers were able to go up to the top because they were not recommended for promotion by the Sarawak commissioner.
There was one occasion when one retiring commissioner informed me that he could not recommend his deputy for promotion to succeed him because he (the deputy) was two ranks below him”.
I thought then, why the heck did you not recommend him for promotion when he was serving as your deputy for so many years? This is a true episode.
Why, when one is a deputy for a long period, he would surely desire to hold the top job too before he retires. That’s a natural progression.
At 58, Mancha has two years officially to serve as Sarawak police commissioner but his term could be extended, likely for another two years.
While in office, I hope Mancha will earnestly look out for the best among his men and women in Sarawak and be more generous in recommending them for promotion.
Our own Sarawak police commissioner should see that those eligible and qualified Sarawakian officers should be promoted to the ranks they deserve.
If that is not happening, then we will see those bypassed for promotion opting for premature retirement. This is particularly true for senior officers.
Meantime, I hope that Mancha receives unwavering support from the contingent as well as from Sarawakians as he leads the Sarawak police towards greater heights in maintaining peace and preserving harmony in our beloved Land of the Hornbill.
Once again, congratulations Datuk Mancha Ata. Godspeed.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
