JOHOR BARU: Seven policemen from Johor, including a police station chief holding the rank of inspector, have been transferred to the state police headquarters pending a disciplinary probe against them.
This follows the appearance of a nine-second video clip showing them in an entertainment outlet in Muar associating with an alleged illegal gaming “taukeh”.
They will assume whatever duties deemed necessary by their superiors, under strict supervision.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd said their transfers took effect today, adding that a report on the case had been submitted to federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.
He said the force was giving the disciplinary probe top priority as their actions were deemed to be a serious contravention of police standing orders.
“As policemen, they should know their boundaries and they should not have been there (at the club) for any reason other than work-related reasons such as to gather information (about any crime),” he told reporters after visiting Sultanah Aminah Hospital during a Johor Police Family Association (Perkep) event.
Khalil said he had personally seen the video clip and from what he saw, it was clearly an activity which had nothing to do with police work.
“Their actions do not portray a good image of the force. The seven policemen are only allowed to resume their duties at the Johor police headquarters under monitoring by their superiors. They will carry out duties according to what their superiors deem fit for them. They are civil servants after all,” he said.
Khalil said Johor police would investigate the claim that there was a illegal gaming tycoon together with the seven policemen at the entertainment centre.
“An investigation is being carried out on their conduct, and this will take some time. They will be asked to explain on why they were at the entertainment premises,” he said.
Asked if he thought that someone may be trying to sabotage the seven policemen, Khalil said: “They went (to the premises) on their own will. If they had been questioning patrons for information, then it is a different a story.
“They were not there for work, which also means that they should have already realised that they committed a disciplinary offence when they stepped into the nightclub for leisure.”
The video clip has gone viral since it was first shared yesterday on various social media platforms.
It was reported that a Facebook user had uploaded the video with the title “Police personnel entertaining themselves at nightclub with gambling taukeh (leader)”.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun had said a thorough investigation would be conducted.
He had said action would be taken if the policemen were found to have breached the law, and also ordered for the Bukit Aman Integrity and Standard Compliance Department to investigate the case.
Besides the inspector, the other six are believed to be a corporal, a detective corporal and four lance corporals.
One of the lance corporals and the detective corporal are believed to be attached to the police’s Anti-Vice, Secret Societies and Gaming Division.