Religious knowledge pointless if you turn a blind eye, ex-IGP tells PAS

Abdul Hamid Bador says he raised the issue of Hamzah Zainudin’s interference with the prime minister and the chief secretary to the government.

PETALING JAYA: There is no point in acquiring religious knowledge if it is not used to help correct wrongdoing, including political interference in the police force, Abdul Hamid Bador said today.

“To the ‘political ‘ulamas’, please open your eyes and listen to my explanation before criticising my move to expose the interference by the (home) minister in police matters,” the former inspector-general of police was quoted as saying in a report by MalaysiaGazette.

“What is the use of having a lot of religious knowledge (if you) are afraid to tell the truth and act?”

Hamid said this in response to a PAS Dewan Ulama leader’s criticism of his expose in the days leading up to his retirement yesterday.

Yesterday, Mohd Nor Hamzah, the Dewan Ulama information chief, questioned why Hamid did not act on the political interference earlier.

He also accused Hamid of making allegations against home minister Hamzah Zainudin without going through the proper channels.

Hamid, however, said he did raise the issue of Hamzah’s interference with the prime minister and the chief secretary to the government.

“Do the ‘political ulamas’ understand this explanation?” he was quoted as saying.

Hamid also claimed that Hamzah wanted to install a new Bukit Aman Special Branch director to better control the division.

On Friday, Hamzah confirmed he was the voice in a widely shared leaked audio clip that featured him discussing plans to place “our boy” in key positions in the force.

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