KUALA LUMPUR: "It's not fair to paint everyone with the same brush."
This was City police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid's response to concerns surrounding a spate of recent crime cases involving police personnel.
Addressing reporters after a walkabout at Jalan Haji Taib and Chow Kit, he emphasised the need to avoid painting the entire police force with a broad brush due to the actions of a few individuals.
With approximately 10,000 policemen and policewomen, Allaudeen said the involvement of just 10 officers in criminal activities did not warrant tarnishing the reputation of the entire force.
He said the rogue officers represented only 0.001 per cent of the total, urging the public not to discredit the efforts of the remaining 9,990 dedicated law enforcement officials.
"All agencies have a few bad apples," Allaudeen said, emphasising the force's zero tolerance for misconduct.
He cited recent cases, including arrests in the ketum case, an incident at Jalan Silang, and an extortion case in Sentul, as examples where no compromise was made for wrongdoing.
When asked about the apparent rise in police-involved cases, Allaudeen attributed it to personal weaknesses and individual greed among a small number of officers.
He stressed the importance of internal control systems and the supervision of subordinates by superiors to curb such behavior.
"As you all can see, there is no cover ups or compromise in any wrongdoing involving one of our own in any of these cases." he added.
Also present during the walkabout were all city district police chiefs and Allaudeen's deputy, Datuk Azry Akmar Ayob.
The visit was part of an effort to change the negative perception of the once-notorious Lorong Haji Taib.
Allaudeen said the area was no longer a hub for illegal activities, such as prostitution and drug dens.
During the walkabout, Allaudeen also engaged with the community, handing out goodies to traders and expressing his commitment to recognising the hard work of law-abiding policemen and policewomen.
The visit received positive feedback from traders, with one vendor expressing admiration for the police chief's unprecedented presence in the area.
"I'm impressed. This has never happened before. In the past, we have had one or two mayors visiting but never the city police chief," said trader, Ang Khoon Lok, 65.