Surely, it's time for PM Abdullah to " kill " a chicken (or two) now to warn the monkeys

The arrogance of a segment of the police and their lobbyists in an official media and the government has reached a popularly outrageous and politically subversive level.

By making public statements that contradict the clear position of the elected representatives as well as the PM and DPM, that segment of the police has subverted a foundational principle of modern society and polity: all armed security services are under the absolute command of the civilian authority.

The police lobbyists in the official media and government clearly attempt to nornalise abnormal behabiours, justify the unjutifiable and further embolden the rogue elements in the police force.

To ordinary people in the streets, there is now a strong impression that there are now two federal governments in Malaysia only one of which is headed by PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi representing the people, while the other is helmed by Deputy Minister for Internal Security, Noh Omar who publicly acts and speaks on behalf of the insolent segment of the police with utter contempt for domestic public opinion and to the great detriment of Malaysia's sensitively and discreetly balanced international relations.

Under our Constitution, the armed security services are not the Angkatan Bersenjata Republic Indonesia (ABRI) in the pre-Reformasi era when it was granted a political function under the doctrine of Dwifungsi (Dual Function). Indeed, that insolent segment of the our police is not unlike the decadent, corrupt, insolent and manipulative Roman Praetorian Guards who, through their collective self-image of being political king-makers, subverted and finally destroyed the foundation of civilian authority.

To restore the sovereignty and dignity of the people and defend the fundamental principle of civilian rule, it is time for PM Abdullah to "kill" a chicken or two now to warn the monkeys. Otherwise, while that insolent segment of the police continues to hold secretly comtemptous attitude toward the civilian government and helpless citizens, the people in the streets would also develope open contempt for both the civilian government and the entire police force.

These monkeys can only be disciplined by fear, not love.

It is not nice to the monkeys but good for our country as a whole.