Love country first before joining the police force - Musa Hassan

“To join the police, one has to be strong. Number one, it is because you love and care for the country. It is not for the money, if you want money, don’t join the police force...You must love the country," said former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

He said it is love for the country that members of the police force perform their responsibilities honestly and with integrity as the frontliners in ensuring peace and prosperity in the country.

“Those who cannot be corrected or are involved in any malpractices, they should quit, find another job that can make money, if you want to make money, it is not in the police force. The police force is for people who love the country, who want to take care of the country properly and care for the society," he said.

Musa Hassan, who served the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) for 41 years, reminded the young people that they have to be strong-willed to join the police force and not look at the salary factor alone.

"Members of the police force should possess the spirit of love for the country, patriotic ... if they don’t have that spirit, it is a waste. It is for the love of the country that they will perform, will not be involved in corruption and their integrity will remain because they know that corruption can threaten the country’s security,” he said.

Musa said this in a special interview with Bernama recently in conjunction with the National Month and Malaysia Day celebration.

He emphasised the need for unit and department heads in PDRM to be appointed among those who are trustworthy and sincere, as well as firm, in performing their duties and not among those who are toady.

They have to realise that public order and prosperity in the country do not just happen if there is no sacrifices from members of the security forces, with some of them losing their lives in order to defend the country, he added.

Apart from that, he said, the challenges facing PDRM members now are also different than before in tandem with the advancement of technology and information, such as the colonisation of the mind through the Internet.

“The threats now are wider and contain elements that can damage the country,” he added.

Meanwhile, a former director of the PDRM Management Department, Tan Sri JJ Raj said every member of the security force in the country should appreciate the meaning of independence at all times, and not only during times of celebration.

His hope is for the PDRM staff is to continue with the department's struggle to uphold integrity, trust and carry out their job responsibly, as well as eliminate all forms of corruption.

Cooperation between the police and the community through the concept of Community Police should continue to be implemented for crime prevention, he added.

Recalling the communist terrorist attack on the Bukit Kepong Police Station, Raj, who is almost a centenarian and had just underwent an eye surgery, said the incident left a deep impact on him.

Raj, who was then Pagoh district police chief, said he could still remember all the events that happened almost 50 years ago.

-- BERNAMA