Inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar is his own worst enemy and an enigma. Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had earlier announced that we should avoid speculation on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 since March 8.

Khalid defied the minister’s request and told Mingguan Malaysia, the Sunday edition of Utusan Malaysia, that his force was monitoring speculation on the Internet.
 
He said: “We are looking into all the speculation because we feel these can more or less assist in investigations.”
 
After adding speculative guesswork and bomoh intervention to the investigations, how much lower can Malaysia descend? The IGP fails to realise the gravity of the situation. Already, the press conferences have been marred by contradictions, retractions, denials and disarray.
 
The IGP has a penchant for contradiction. Last October, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi alleged that five criminal suspects in Sungei Nibong, had been deliberately shot dead by police because they were believed to be armed. But in an earlier interview, Khalid alleged that the suspects had opened fire on his men and the police were forced to shoot.
 
Poor Khalid! He cannot run a mile, or even run a bath, and yet he has been given the enormous responsibility of running our police force.
 
This is possibly the only police force in the world, which ‘shoots first and asks questions later’. Is this is an economy drive to reduce the bill for housing and feeding suspects? Malaysia’s police force probably justifies the shootings because the police personnel acted in self-defence. Often, when we read news reports, we see that the suspects were ‘armed with parangs’ or ‘had a stash in the boot of their car’.
 
In yesterday’s interview with Mingguan Malaysia, Khalid also said: “However, if this is just speculation, we do not see that it is enough for the police to take action, unless they are making seditious remarks.”
 
Using sedition is lazy policing and Khalid knows it. It is convenient. It is easy. All of the people who have been charged with sedition have been surprised by the accusation.

Khalid and his political masters want to remove anyone who dares to criticise an Umno-Baru minister or the government. Their definition of sedition is so broad, that the authorities probably make it up as they go along, to cover any eventuality.
 
The latest speculation, which Khalid may have heard, refers to Anwar Ibrahim, the elephant in the room. Anwar was found guilty of sodomy on March 7, after the government appealed against his acquittal.

Malaysians were stunned and too shocked to act. Opposition supporters went home, exhausted, fully aware that Anwar’s conviction was a political ploy to end his political career, and crush the opposition coalition.

The supporters banked on international condemnation and a national backlash on Saturday. They were certain that the political skulduggery would not go unchallenged.
 
Events overtook them. When Malaysians woke up, they were greeted with the news that Flight MH370 had disappeared, just after midnight, whilst en route to Beijing. The thoughts and prayers of the whole nation were focused on the passengers and crew.

The injustice meted out on Anwar the previous day was relegated to the back-burner. The momentum to criticise the political backstabbing was lost. Kajang almost became a non-issue.

The detective thrillers would ask, ‘Is this a coincidence? Who would have the motive and opportunity?’

Worst of Malaysia on display
 
Back to reality. Instead of focusing on speculation, why can’t the IGP concentrate on solving crime, resolving traffic issues and chasing drug peddlers? He cannot obtain physical evidence of Flight MH370 as there is no crime scene. The aviation experts must decipher blips, electronic data and satellite images.
 
The IGP would be more productive if he were to spend his time on other duties. The disappearance of the aircraft has exposed many scandals.

Khalid could apprehend the Malaysian syndicates which profit from the sale of stolen passports. He could liase with customs officials to weed out rogue employees. He could remove menaces, like the Bomoh-to-the-elite, from public places.
 
Khalid has the facilities and organisations to conduct surveillance and cultivate sources and informants to assist him in gathering intelligence. Will he have the capability to analyse the information?
 
In the Mingguan Malaysia interview, Khalid criticised the foreign media for “deliberately” belittling Malaysia.

He said: “We have to understand that some foreign parties are envious of us. They are out to belittle us. It is unfortunate that there are some in our own society who believe foreign news reports.
 
“They do not want to listen even when our own local media know the situation better because we are giving them the real story.”
 
Khalid must be in denial. Together with the crisis management team, he has done a great job in showing-off the worst of Malaysia. He need not worry about the local media. They know their place. They are trained not to ask awkward questions. Sedition is a serious charge.
 
Khalid is right. The countries which are envious are probably those who want to know our leaders’ secret. They would give anything to be able to control their citizens and make them meek and malleable. Umno Baru’s record of 57 years in government is an achievement, which can only be matched by the Kim dynasty.

 
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).