Prologue
Sebagai ingatan, pandangan berikut telah saya notakan pada tahun 1998 semasa bertugas di Angola. Nama orang sebenar yang masih tercatat dalam nota asal, telah saya XXXXX kan untuk melindungi mereka kerana walaupun telah bersara mereka masih bersama kita di alam maya ini.
Career Development, Advancement & Job Placement
Any human resource related decision made by top management will have a perceptible and telling effect on the organisations’ working climate. A single decision can create a “we’re a family, we swim or sink together” or a “when’s the next paycheck and to hell with the company” working atmosphere. A career development policy seen to be fair and just must be seen to have been implemented by the organisation to avoid diminished productivity in the organisation through the effect of the Variance Theory Of Motivation, which I believe, is the problem with the RMP.
Briefly, the Variance Theory of Motivation equates a worker’s productivity with the rewards that he perceived he will get through his efforts i.e. if worker A (a high producer) perceives that worker B (a low producer) is better rewarded for his (B’s) meagre effort than worker A will lower his productivity level to match that of worker B. If just one worker is to lower his productivity level by 5%, imagine an organisation of 80,000 personnel with 10% or 8,000 of that figure lowering their productivity level. In no time at all the organisation will stagnate as is happening with the RMP.
Whom You Know Not What You Know
Chief Inspector XXXXX, a former district investigation officer has been with the CID’s Anti Secret Societies, Vice & Gaming Branch, Bukit Aman for almost 10 years. A hard working and dedicated officer, he is well versed in the preparation of affidavits (for which Karpal Singh needs a law degree and is paid RM 7000 for it), professional in his handling of appeal cases in front of the Advisory Board and meticulous in his preparation of reports.
As his superior officer I cannot find any fault with his performance whilst under my command. Unfortunately, in an example of cronyism (also rampant in the country as a whole and not only confined to the police force) when a vacancy for the post of operation officer with the rank of ASP came up, Inspector Thina was transferred out to the Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Branch and his position replaced with another officer (junior but fortunately someone who has served in the CID D7 at district level).
The post of operation officer however was given to an Inspector (later given an acting ASP rank) who has never served in the Criminal Investigation Department but is the blue eye boy of the current Assistant Director D7 when both were serving in the Narcotics Branch. The effectiveness of this new operation officer can be judge by the fact that he has successfully been unable to capture a wanted criminal who is simply asking to be arrested which I did so a month later just to prove a point.
In such a win-lose situation, I cannot blame C/Insp XXXXX or others who knows of what’s happpening to Insp Thina if he/they decides to work to rule in his/their new posting. Professionalism is supposed to be the key word in the RMP but it makes one wonder how officers who has no background, exposure and street knowledge of a departments’ work is appointed to a command post in that particular department.
A Professionally Qualified Police Officer
A few years back, they appointed a professionally qualified officer as an Officer In Charge Criminal Investigation. Charged with the tasks of tackling and handling all aspects of criminal activities in the state of Johore, which normally demands an officer with some background in criminal investigation, this officer must have been the perfect choice according to the RMP principle of job placement. Just promoted SAC I XXXXX, the new OCCI of Johore holds a degree in engineering and throughout his service career has only been with the police technical branch.
On one occassion, in a show of in-depth knowledge of CID work, he ordered that a group of juvenile bicycle thieves be placed on restricted residence under the Restricted Residence Act where else the said law categorically specifies the conditions under which a restricted residence can be imposed. On another occassion, the integrity of the local (Johor Bahru) SS officer was questioned for not recommending a restriction order of more than 5 years. The law categorically specifies that a restriction order is only for a period of not more than 5 years. As a technical specialist for all his service in the police force who overnight becomes a state Head Of Criminal Investigation we should not blame him for such error in judgement. In the private sector that error of judgement could cost millions of dollars and the CEO his job.
Countless other accounts of putting square pegs in round holes or a career development and job placement program that has cost capable and experienced CID officers to be replaced (and thus losing their rightful promotions) by Special Branch officers and other assorted police desk jockeys, can be recounted but the above two should be enough to show you that something is not right with the RMP.
Job Placement And Transparency
Decisions made by top management concerning the employees if not made transparent or explained to the workers can easily be misconstrued by the workers. Such misconception could create a lot of mistrust and fear among the workforce to the detriment of the organisation. The case of XXXXX, the former head of Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation easily comes to mind. Within 6 months of sending 4 of KL’s biggest vice operators into restricted residence, XXXXX was “promoted” as Deputy Police Commissioner of Sabah. Ironically the restricted residence of the 4 vice operators was rescinded 6 months later.
I remember a conversation I had with XXXXX at the Sabah Police HQ. Upon congratulating him for being promoted, XXXXX asked me for how long have I served in the Police Force. On giving the answer XXXXX just give me a smile and quietly informed me “my young man I have been removed under the disguise of a promotion”. A similar situation happened to a former OCPD of Dang Wangi district Kuala Lumpur who was transferred to a desk job after going on an all out war also against vice operators in his district. There might be valid reasons for the above transfers but in the absence of such information XXXXX cannot be faulted for making his own assumptions.
Looking at it negatively the two transfers can be looked upon as a warning to “over zealous” officers to toe the company line. Yes men seems to go far in the Force and year after year the promotion list does not fail to solicit surprise at the list of unlikely and unbelievable candidates promoted. Such conditions breeds disillusioned but dedicated officers who could help propel the organisation forward but choose not to do so out of sheer frustration. It is interesting to note that for the last few years there has been a steady exodus of qualified and committed officers from the police force not for greener pasture in the private sector but in the words of a former Deputy Director I, CID, “to leave a sinking ship that does not seem to know where’s it is going”. As for me I am very near my port of call so I’ll just ride it out unless a passing ship saves me.
Epilogue
Bagi kawan-kawan polis yang membaca blog saya ni, saje nak tanya. Perkara-perkara yang saya sebutkan di atas, masih berlaku kah dalam PDRM hari ini?
Sebagai ingatan, pandangan berikut telah saya notakan pada tahun 1998 semasa bertugas di Angola. Nama orang sebenar yang masih tercatat dalam nota asal, telah saya XXXXX kan untuk melindungi mereka kerana walaupun telah bersara mereka masih bersama kita di alam maya ini.
Career Development, Advancement & Job Placement
Any human resource related decision made by top management will have a perceptible and telling effect on the organisations’ working climate. A single decision can create a “we’re a family, we swim or sink together” or a “when’s the next paycheck and to hell with the company” working atmosphere. A career development policy seen to be fair and just must be seen to have been implemented by the organisation to avoid diminished productivity in the organisation through the effect of the Variance Theory Of Motivation, which I believe, is the problem with the RMP.
Briefly, the Variance Theory of Motivation equates a worker’s productivity with the rewards that he perceived he will get through his efforts i.e. if worker A (a high producer) perceives that worker B (a low producer) is better rewarded for his (B’s) meagre effort than worker A will lower his productivity level to match that of worker B. If just one worker is to lower his productivity level by 5%, imagine an organisation of 80,000 personnel with 10% or 8,000 of that figure lowering their productivity level. In no time at all the organisation will stagnate as is happening with the RMP.
Whom You Know Not What You Know
Chief Inspector XXXXX, a former district investigation officer has been with the CID’s Anti Secret Societies, Vice & Gaming Branch, Bukit Aman for almost 10 years. A hard working and dedicated officer, he is well versed in the preparation of affidavits (for which Karpal Singh needs a law degree and is paid RM 7000 for it), professional in his handling of appeal cases in front of the Advisory Board and meticulous in his preparation of reports.
As his superior officer I cannot find any fault with his performance whilst under my command. Unfortunately, in an example of cronyism (also rampant in the country as a whole and not only confined to the police force) when a vacancy for the post of operation officer with the rank of ASP came up, Inspector Thina was transferred out to the Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Branch and his position replaced with another officer (junior but fortunately someone who has served in the CID D7 at district level).
The post of operation officer however was given to an Inspector (later given an acting ASP rank) who has never served in the Criminal Investigation Department but is the blue eye boy of the current Assistant Director D7 when both were serving in the Narcotics Branch. The effectiveness of this new operation officer can be judge by the fact that he has successfully been unable to capture a wanted criminal who is simply asking to be arrested which I did so a month later just to prove a point.
In such a win-lose situation, I cannot blame C/Insp XXXXX or others who knows of what’s happpening to Insp Thina if he/they decides to work to rule in his/their new posting. Professionalism is supposed to be the key word in the RMP but it makes one wonder how officers who has no background, exposure and street knowledge of a departments’ work is appointed to a command post in that particular department.
A Professionally Qualified Police Officer
A few years back, they appointed a professionally qualified officer as an Officer In Charge Criminal Investigation. Charged with the tasks of tackling and handling all aspects of criminal activities in the state of Johore, which normally demands an officer with some background in criminal investigation, this officer must have been the perfect choice according to the RMP principle of job placement. Just promoted SAC I XXXXX, the new OCCI of Johore holds a degree in engineering and throughout his service career has only been with the police technical branch.
On one occassion, in a show of in-depth knowledge of CID work, he ordered that a group of juvenile bicycle thieves be placed on restricted residence under the Restricted Residence Act where else the said law categorically specifies the conditions under which a restricted residence can be imposed. On another occassion, the integrity of the local (Johor Bahru) SS officer was questioned for not recommending a restriction order of more than 5 years. The law categorically specifies that a restriction order is only for a period of not more than 5 years. As a technical specialist for all his service in the police force who overnight becomes a state Head Of Criminal Investigation we should not blame him for such error in judgement. In the private sector that error of judgement could cost millions of dollars and the CEO his job.
Countless other accounts of putting square pegs in round holes or a career development and job placement program that has cost capable and experienced CID officers to be replaced (and thus losing their rightful promotions) by Special Branch officers and other assorted police desk jockeys, can be recounted but the above two should be enough to show you that something is not right with the RMP.
Job Placement And Transparency
Decisions made by top management concerning the employees if not made transparent or explained to the workers can easily be misconstrued by the workers. Such misconception could create a lot of mistrust and fear among the workforce to the detriment of the organisation. The case of XXXXX, the former head of Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation easily comes to mind. Within 6 months of sending 4 of KL’s biggest vice operators into restricted residence, XXXXX was “promoted” as Deputy Police Commissioner of Sabah. Ironically the restricted residence of the 4 vice operators was rescinded 6 months later.
I remember a conversation I had with XXXXX at the Sabah Police HQ. Upon congratulating him for being promoted, XXXXX asked me for how long have I served in the Police Force. On giving the answer XXXXX just give me a smile and quietly informed me “my young man I have been removed under the disguise of a promotion”. A similar situation happened to a former OCPD of Dang Wangi district Kuala Lumpur who was transferred to a desk job after going on an all out war also against vice operators in his district. There might be valid reasons for the above transfers but in the absence of such information XXXXX cannot be faulted for making his own assumptions.
Looking at it negatively the two transfers can be looked upon as a warning to “over zealous” officers to toe the company line. Yes men seems to go far in the Force and year after year the promotion list does not fail to solicit surprise at the list of unlikely and unbelievable candidates promoted. Such conditions breeds disillusioned but dedicated officers who could help propel the organisation forward but choose not to do so out of sheer frustration. It is interesting to note that for the last few years there has been a steady exodus of qualified and committed officers from the police force not for greener pasture in the private sector but in the words of a former Deputy Director I, CID, “to leave a sinking ship that does not seem to know where’s it is going”. As for me I am very near my port of call so I’ll just ride it out unless a passing ship saves me.
Epilogue
Bagi kawan-kawan polis yang membaca blog saya ni, saje nak tanya. Perkara-perkara yang saya sebutkan di atas, masih berlaku kah dalam PDRM hari ini?
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