Iltizam politik, keberanian kunci banteras rasuah, kata Ayob Khan

Former Deputy Inspector General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay has said that raising police officers' salaries could make a career in the force more attractive. Speaking to FMT, Khan emphasized that political will and courage to act are essential to combat corruption. He stressed that leaders must set an example by taking action against those in power, stating, "If the ones at the top are wrong, the ones below will also be in trouble."

Khan recounted his own experience of confronting a senior officer involved in corruption, asserting that if someone is willing to take action, it can be done. He also highlighted the need for political commitment, emphasizing that there is nothing impossible about making changes, using the example of Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih's conquest of Constantinople.

Khan pointed out that the decreasing number of non-Malays in the police force is partly due to lower salaries, with only 5.55% of the 136,503 police officers being non-Bumiputeras, according to Ministry of Domestic Affairs data. He attributed this trend to the increased job opportunities available to Malaysians today. Khan criticized the RM300 monthly allowance for police officers, calling it insufficient to cover living costs in urban areas.

He urged the government to review the salaries of lower-rank officers, particularly constables, who earn between RM2,000 and RM2,500 per month, and introduce special allowances for those working in major cities. Khan also called for a reevaluation of the service grades for police officers, as the current structure does not accurately reflect the hierarchical chain of command in the force.

He noted that the deputy Inspector General currently holds the same service grade as the regional branch manager and the head of the Domestic Security and Public Order Department, despite the latter two reporting directly to him. Khan suggested elevating the deputy Inspector General's position to a Turus III rank to better reflect the authority and responsibilities of the role.