IGP : Is it job satisfaction or is it job gratification that you are looking for?

Maybe, and just maybe the present day IGP can offer sound advise to his successor when he whispered "Please don't be like me when I choose job gratification over job satisfaction".

1. To begin with, it's most perplexing to read the news about IGP Musa's statement that the public and NGOs' should be more appreciative of the police.
2. Before proceeding further,please note that IGP Musa's statement is recorded by The Sun and publish in their online news datelined May 3, 2010.
3. Now, now...are we looking for job satisfaction or job gratification? Just in case it gets confusing, job satisfaction describes how content one is with his job whilst job gratification describes the rewards from doing the job.
4. The IGP says

   “NGOs which interfere in the work of the police are not showing concern for our duties. Only the government shows concern for policemen who are injured or killed in the line of duty,” - IGP Musa Hassan
   

   First and foremost, isn't the Government the employer? If the Government are the employer, shouldn't they take care of the employees welfare and well-being? Taking care may also include concern!!!
   

5. In the first place, nobody wants to interfere with police work. It only happens when individuals and NGOs feel that they are victimised or when they feel that justice are not meted out, then the problem begins.
6. As a case in point, have anyone feel that they are grossly mistreated prior to these last two IGPs? Did anybody, including the NGOs' complain when the police ambushed Botak Chin and even Betong kali?

   During that period, although the former is the poors' "Robin Hood", almost everybody sighed with relief when his gang was smash by the police. Check that out!

7. As for Betong Kali who stylishly dare the police to arrest him and even go to the extent of sending messages to police offices and belittling them, the community praised the police force for taking the action on Betong Kali and his gang. It just don't pay to do the crime!
8. But it all change when the last two IGPs' took over. Rahim Noor was caught flat-footed for assaulting Anwar. It does not matter that Anwar was said to ridicule him. By physically harming a blind-folded man, the then-IGP has degraded the police force by his action and he is the top cop of the country!
9. The present IGP should take a leaf or two from our Thailand counterpart. Did Thai police force take actions similar to ours in dismissing the red-shirts protesters? Were water canons used to spray chemical-laced water to disperse the red shirts? Were tear gases thrown to disperse them? Were mass arrest carried out on the red shirts?

   Mind you that the red shirts are not supportive of the present Thailand government but they were allowed to protest. That speaks volumes on the difference between our IGP and the Thai police. Both Malaysian and Thai police are government servants but their approach to protesters are worlds apart! Do the red shirts in Thailand have permits to protest? If they do have permits, is it a blanket permit and why do Thai police issue permits to mass protest against the government of the day?

10. Back to Malaysia. The IGP make the statement when he visited an injured policeman who was injured when manning the roadblock. Who says that the public is not appreciative of the police work? Did the IGP reads the publics' sentiment against the Mat Rempits? Did the IGP reads about the publics' outcry against the Mat Rempits who terrorize the streets in the early morning? And did the IGP read about the praises heaped on the police for successfully rounding up the Mat Rempits? Isn't that enough gratification?

    But that is not all! On the other hand the IGP should take pro-active actions to minimise risk to his officers. Manning a road block is fine but has proper study done on where are the best places to conduct road blocks? Is ample warning signs provided? Adequate lighting? Proper clothing? These precautionary steps are necessary to minimise risk to the police officers. Has the police officers take steps to minimise the risks?
    

11. Let's continue further. The report continue

    Musa, who was exasperated with the criticism, cited a case in Seremban yesterday where police patrolmen who chased a suspicious looking car found the dead body of a woman in it and arrested the driver. He said similar action by his personnel in another case in Malacca two months also saw the recovery of body of another person who was also murdered.
    
    "These were murder cases and we caught up with them. This is how effectively our police patrolmen carry out their jobs. We put safety of the public and security of the nation above everything. That is our responsibility, " - IGP Musa
    

12. Ah, now IGP wanted job gratification when the police "accidentally" wrapped up two murder cases in Seremban and Malacca. Mark the word "accidentally". It does not mean that the police were on their tails for suspicion of murder BUT chanced on the case because the suspects fumbled.

    Not only that, did the police fire any shots in both incidents? If no shots were fired, then why the difference on Standard Operating Procedure for the Shah Alam case?
    

    It's quite interesting for the IGP to say that they put safety of the public and security of the nation above everything. If that statement is true, then why plant "fear" into the masses with unnecessary force and display of water canons during mass protest? Why "intimidate" the masses when it is not necessary to do so? IGP should cease making "political" statements. Let the politicians do their job and you do yours!
    

13. On the tragic Shah Alam case, it is something that should be left alone. Yes, the victim's family felt slighted when the policeimplied that the victim has ill-intention.

    At the same time, the policemen who were involved in the tragic shooting are also victims in their own rights. It is easy to blame them for something but are they really trigger happy? Maybe, these policemen are having sleepless nights flashing back on what happen on that fateful night.
    

    At least the victim's family are well comforted. But what about these policemen? Are they going for counselling too? Mind you, I am not taking sides but I think that these policemen should be going counselling to overcome their trauma. They are, afterall humans too and they too did not anticipate to be part and parcel of the tragic night.
    

14. So, is it job satisfaction or is it job gratification that IGP is looking for? In these last few months before he leave the police force and turns civilian, he should be making ammends to his past mistakes. This is the time to reflect on his past deeds and take stock on what he had achieved as the top cop. Has he raise the level of police professionalism? Has he turn the police force into the government's private army? Has he carry out his duty without fear and favour or has he succumbed to the worldly pleasures?

    Has he dispense his duty as demanded by the One god or is he a kitten purring for his master's attention? Is he a lone vigilante looking to bury his nemesis or is he a public servant who strive for a safer environment?

15. The answer relies on his criteria. Is the IGP looking for job satisfaction or is he aiming for job gratification? If he is looking for job gratification, it comes plenty when he use unnecesary force against the masses. If he is looking for job satisfaction, then this is the time for him to try counting what he has achieved in his years as a top cop.

    Maybe, and just maybe the present day IGP can offer sound advise to his successor when he whispered "Please don't be like me when I choose job gratification over job satisfaction".
    

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...