The disclosure that nearly twenty senior police officers, headed by the IGP and his Deputy (both about to retire according to official statements) have travelled to Turkey for some, so far, unannounced purpose will come as a shock to taxpayers, especially as the two top officers in the party are about to retire.

Had a PDRM presence in Istanbul been an operational necessity for the Force what need could there have been to send more than one senior officer of appropriate qualifications and experience to attend?

If, as seems very probable, this “trip” was a “leaving” present to the two top retiring officers that should be officially admitted and an explanation offered for the expenditure of public money. Of course, if this visit was totally financed from other than public funds the government should at once say so and, in view of possible doubts about private funding of travel by senior coppers, say who approved the absences and why

There will possibly be those who will refer to the reported refusal by the IGP of a request from ex PM Najib to support the declaration of an emergency when it was clear that BN had lost GE14. If there is any truth in that story a refusal by a senior police officer to comply with an illegal request should be commended but appear as no more than the carrying out of his duty.

This latest instance of blatant misuse of public money (those involved will have been paid their salaries if nothing else) will disturb those who voted PH precisely in order to bring the misuse of public funds to an end.