KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Any misunderstandings or misgivings between the police force and the home minister of the day should be discussed internally, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar told Malaysiakini.

In an interview with the news portal, the former home minister said this is how the professional image of the police force and the individuals involved is maintained.

"That is why these kinds of things... in my experience, we would internally discuss all matters related to the service.

"Whether between the IGP and minister or in the context of the Police Services Commission. In that way, all matters will remain between them.

"We must know each other's rights and responsibilities. Both parties must understand the Official Secrets Act (OSA),” said Syed Hamid.

On April 30, then inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador in a press conference before his retirement, described Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin’s interference in police matters as unnecessary and blamed the minister for the existence of different "camps” within the police force.

He was reported as saying that Hamzah, as the chairman of the Police Force Commission (PFC), insisted on deciding transfers of police officers.

In the same interview, Syed Hamid, who is also a Bersatu member, also expressed doubts about the validity of Hamid’s claims of alleged political interference in the police force.

"The former IGP has left the service... but even after you leave, you must still abide by certain matters.

"And I don't understand what he meant by political interference. What is this political interference?

"Police have the services commission and these matters (appointments) should be discussed by the commission,” he said.

Yesterday, former IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan also blamed political interference in the force on complicit senior police officers who allegedly let key divisions be used for personal objectives, as reported by Sinar Harian.

Pointing to the Special Branch (SB), the force’s intelligence department, Musa was quoted as saying that its directors often executed orders from politicians by bypassing protocol.

Abdul Hamid once helmed the SB.