Cops could face dismissal for rejecting reports from public
POLICE officers who refuse to accept reports from the public, no matter how they are dressed, could face dismissal, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (pic) explained that police officers, as civil servants, are bound by the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.
“If there is non-compliance with any of the orders issued, action can be taken here in tandem with the internal mechanisms of the police force.
“This is monitored through district and state police headquarters as well as through internal audits.
“Failure to fulfil any requirement in an issued order, including not accepting a police report, is seen as a serious offence and those involved face possible sacking,” he said during Question Time in Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was responding to a question from Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) who asked if the government intends to introduce legislation mandating all police stations to receive police reports regardless of the complainant’s dressing.
This follows instances where complainants involved in motor accidents could not enter police stations to lodge reports because of their clothing.
Shamsul Anuar added that dress codes at police stations can be omitted in emergency situations or those requiring immediate attention.
This includes cases with criminal elements, road accidents, safety threats and cases that can potentially result in trauma such as rape, theft, and more.
This, he said, was relayed to all district and state police headquarters in December last year.
“This aims to ensure that its implementation is uniform and understood by all officers. The ministry also views that this order is sufficient and enforced immediately nationwide,” he said.
Shamsul Anuar said the Public Administration Circular (PKPA) 1/2025: Strengthening Public Sector Customer Relationship Management also allows all ministries and agencies to determine the dress code at their offices.
“We will continue monitoring its overall implementation and will not hesitate to improve it, where needed,” he said, adding that the police received about four million police reports last year.
“More importantly, we have informed all our personnel and rakyat of the procedures.”
Incidents where members of the public were denied entry into government offices, including clinics and police stations following emergencies, became hot news recently after the incidents went viral.
