Border shooting: Two GOF personnel demonstrate high integrity - Bukit Aman

KUALA LUMPUR: Corporal Baharuddin Ramli who was killed, and his colleague Corporal Norihan a / l Tari, who was seriously injured in a shootout with smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Perlis early yesterday morning, are exemplary policemen with high integrity while serving the force.

Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department director Datuk Zamri Yahya said the sacrifices made by the two personnel of the General Operations Force (GOF) were the source of great pride to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) because they were willing to sacrifice their lives in carrying out their duties.

“I am very proud of the actions of the two GOF personnel who dared to face and take stern action against 13 smugglers and stop the smuggling activities which resulted in them (Baharuddin and Norihan) being shot.

“In my opinion, there are still many police officers and personnel with high integrity and impeccable service,” he told Bernama in a special interview in conjunction with the PDRM Anti-Corruption Plan which will be launched in Bukit Aman, tomorrow.

Zamri said based on the analysis and records of his department, only about four per cent of PDRM personnel were involved in integrity issues and subject to action while the rest peform their duties with trustworthiness and honesty.

“However, I am quite worried if they (police officers and personnel involved in integrity issues) are careless and irresponsible while performing their duties as it will affect the morale and image of PDRM,” he said.

He said that police officers and personnel must be willing to make sacrifices for the country as it would indirectly elevate the image of PDRM to the community.

“For example, the intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah in 2013. How did we deal with the issue of the Sulu invasion. The PDRM personnel were very passionate and highly motivated to serve the country when faced with the threat,” he said.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that in an early morning incident, Baharuddin, 54, and his colleague Norihan 39, were involved in a shootout with a group of smugglers at about 600 meters from the Border Wall TS9 control post in Padang Besar, Perlis.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador was reported to have said that the shooting incident was the first time it had happened at the border.

Previously, sounds of gunfire, directed towards the Border Wall TS9 control post in Padang Besar, Perlis from the neighbouring country, were heard on Nov 12 and 15.

-- BERNAMA