GEORGE TOWN, Oct 9 — Police officers and personnel involved in misconduct and issues related to integrity, like corruption and drugs, will be suspended from work even if not yet charged in court.

Penang Police chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said this was the instruction from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain during a meeting on Thursday (October 5).

"Tan Sri (Razarudin) and Deputy IGP (Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay) had reiterated that they would not tolerate any wrongdoing by their senior and junior officers in cases like crime and drugs.

"Given the issue of integrity, abuse of power and corruption among police officers and personnel are still rampant, the top leadership of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has agreed that any officer involved with issues related to integrity such as corruption and drugs will be suspended even if the case has not been charged,” he said when speaking at the monthly state police contingent gathering here today.

He said all police officers, who hold positions of supervisors from the top down, would be held accountable if they failed to implement Regulation 3C, which is the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.

Khaw said all parties in the Penang contingent also needed to be consistent, courageous and firm in enforcing Regulation 3C to ensure effective changes could be made on issues of integrity and misconduct in PDRM.

Meanwhile, he said the country was in the monsoon transition phase, which will result in heavy rain and the PDRM must be prepared if floods were to occur.

"As such, all District Police chiefs, Internal Security and Public Order Department heads and police station chiefs must identify every need and determine the flood-prone areas.

"They must also make early preparations, in terms of personnel strength, logistics asset equipment like boats, rescue gear and also temporary evacuation centres,” he said. — Bernama