It has come to public attention that in Malaysia, it has become an annual tradition for the police force to host open house events during major festive celebrations such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali.
These events, while couched as community engagement initiatives, typically involve the provision of food and beverages, and the distribution of gifts, including cash packets and festive hampers. Though the outward intention may appear noble — promoting goodwill and bridging the gap between the police and the public — such practices must be scrutinised critically, particularly in relation to their funding sources, ethical implications, and effectiveness as a public relations strategy.
At the heart of the matter is the question of how these events are financed. If public funds sourced from taxpayers are being used to support these festive gatherings, it is imperative that we question the prudence of such expenditures.
Taxpayer money is meant to be allocated to essential public services and the core functions of government institutions. For the police, this means crime prevention, law enforcement, public safety, and the upholding of justice.
Hosting celebratory events does not fall within this remit. At a time when the public is increasingly concerned about government spending and the need for accountability in the use of public resources, such displays may be viewed as irresponsible and tone-deaf.
Compounding this concern is the alleged practice of soliciting and receiving donations from private entities and individuals to fund these events. Regardless of intent, such a practice is fraught with potential ethical pitfalls. The acceptance of external contributions by the police raises critical questions about transparency, impartiality, and susceptibility to influence. It invites perceptions of favouritism, compromises the image of neutrality that the police must maintain, and creates the risk — whether real or perceived — of undue influence by donors who may later seek preferential treatment or leniency.
Furthermore, the underlying rationale for such events is that they serve to improve the public image of the police. This perception is deeply flawed and requires re-evaluation. Public confidence in law enforcement is not built on gifts, food, or festive decorations. Rather, it is earned through visible, consistent, and meaningful conduct that reflects integrity, professionalism, and respect for the rule of law.
A positive reputation cannot be fabricated through symbolic gestures; it must be grounded in a demonstrated commitment to ethical behaviour, accountability, and community service.
In addition to festive open houses, another increasingly common practice that warrants scrutiny is the phenomenon of high-profile policing. Often characterised by senior police officers conducting walkabouts in local communities, flanked by uniformed personnel and accompanied by media coverage, these events are frequently presented as a form of engagement or a display of leadership presence.
However, such walkabouts are more theatrical than transformative. They may generate headlines and temporary visibility, but they do little to address the systemic issues that continue to plague public trust in the police.
High-profile policing, in its current form, tends to be episodic, superficial, and disconnected from the day-to-day realities of ordinary citizens. Communities are not seeking photo opportunities or brief appearances by high-ranking officials. They are seeking consistent, reliable, and just policing.
The presence of senior officers for a few hours on the ground does not equate to meaningful reform or deep community trust-building. It becomes a form of image management, rather than genuine service to the public.
Moreover, these walkabouts often mask the absence of sustained structural change. When senior officers appear in neighbourhoods only during festive seasons or in response to public outcry, the engagement can feel performative. What is needed is not ceremonial visibility, but operational transparency and long-term commitment to service excellence.
The public would be better served by officers who are empowered, well-trained, and guided by clear ethical standards, rather than by public displays that quickly fade from memory.
If the Royal Malaysia Police is serious about improving its image and rebuilding public trust, then its leadership must focus on reform — not on public relations theatrics. This means instituting policies that strengthen internal oversight, addressing misconduct and abuse of power with transparency and urgency, and improving the quality and consistency of service delivery to the public.
It means engaging with communities not only during festivals, but every day, through community policing efforts, transparent dialogue, and active listening.
It also means fostering a culture within the force where ethics, integrity, and discipline are not optional, but expected at all levels. There is a pressing need for reforms that not only address public concerns about corruption and accountability but also uplift the standards of professionalism in law enforcement.
Such efforts would go far further in restoring public faith than any festive celebration or walkabout could hope to achieve.
Public trust in the police is not merely about perception; it is about the lived experiences of citizens who interact with law enforcement. Incidents of alleged abuse of power, unexplained deaths in custody, delayed responses, and selective enforcement have eroded public confidence over the years.
The public wants transparency, efficiency, and fairness — not superficial gestures. Hosting open houses and organising walkabouts, while culturally and symbolically appealing, do not address these substantive concerns and risk appearing as distractions from the deeper issues that demand urgent attention.
In jurisdictions around the world where police reform has been successful, the key drivers have been institutional transparency, data-driven accountability, and continuous training in ethical conduct and community relations.
These best practices should serve as a benchmark for Malaysian authorities. Public engagement is undoubtedly important, but it must be built on a foundation of trust earned through consistent performance — not festivities or staged walkabouts.
True reform is not only desirable, but essential, if the police are to regain their standing as impartial guardians of public safety.
Finally, we must consider the opportunity cost. Resources — whether financial, human, or logistical — are finite. Time and money spent on organising elaborate open house events and planning high-profile public appearances could be better invested in upskilling officers, modernising police infrastructure, improving forensic and investigative capabilities, or strengthening public complaint mechanisms.
These investments would yield tangible improvements in the quality of policing and contribute meaningfully to the force’s credibility and legitimacy.
In a civil democratic society, institutions of authority must be held to the highest standards. The police, in particular, carry the weighty responsibility of enforcing the law impartially and without fear or favour.
As such, they must be above reproach — not only in their actions but in their decisions about how they engage with the public and how they utilise resources entrusted to them.
The practices of hosting festive open houses and organising high-profile walkabouts, whether publicly funded or supported by donations, are ill-conceived and inconsistent with the principles of good governance and institutional integrity.
The optics of such events do not foster genuine trust; instead, they risk further eroding it by reinforcing perceptions of misplaced priorities and a lack of seriousness in addressing the core issues that affect policing in Malaysia.
The time has come for a shift in mindset — one that prioritises meaningful reform over superficial image management, and one that places ethics and responsibility at the heart of public service.
The police must understand that their legitimacy derives not from festive gatherings or token gestures, but from their unwavering commitment to justice, fairness, and accountability.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
