PETALING JAYA: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has praised the Inspector General of Police Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador for saying that “the Special Branch will not be used as a tool by the government to silence dissidents as was done in the previous administration”.

Referring to the IGP's assertion that “politicians are the most notorious ones and were responsible for the rise of racial and religious hatred, and they are likened to ‘chameleons’ when it came to playing the race and religious cards”, the veterans organisation said the IGP was frank and honest.

It said this was the kind of statement that no previous senior police officer dared to make.

"An exemplary leader, dedicated and a man of honour, Datuk Seri Hamid Bador, when he was the Deputy Director of the Special Branch, dared to speak up against the wife of the former prime minister for troubling his police officers to do menial jobs during her shopping spree overseas," said Patriot president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji.

"The outburst cost him his job.

"One of his first statements since becoming the IGP was to warn his officers to disassociate themselves from the underworld gambling operators who were known to have sought favours from police officers.

"The IGP has also come down hard on corruption among the police ranks and vowed to cleanse the police force of its corrupt image.

"He also recently cautioned OCPDs with regards to soliciting money for Hari Raya open houses at police districts," Mohamed Arshad said.

He added that besides demanding a high standard of professionalism and discipline, the IGP also strove to fight for the welfare and dignity of his personnel in the police force.

"His heart and soul are fully emplaced to revamp the institution to complement efforts in nation rebuilding. These are qualities of a superb leader, and Patriot salutes him," he said, asking if politicians too would show the same quality leadership as the IGP.

"Or are they preoccupied fighting for positions and drawing long knives to kill each other and therefore jeopardising our nation's rebuilding effort?

"Patriot urges the Armed Forces leadership to come forward with similar statements with regard to fighting corruption in the Armed Forces, and for the military intelligence in particular to disassociate themselves from ever again being a tool of the political masters," Arshad said.

According to him, recent reports on the Mindef land swap deals, the alleged corruption in the supply of armoured fighting vehicles and six the undelivered helicopters purchased in 2015 were shameful for the Defence Ministry.

He said Patriot hoped such things never ever happened again.