Under Section 182 of the Penal Code, added the think tank, lodging a police report based on false information merits jailed up to six months or a fine up to RM2,000 or both.

“The police should look into these questionable reports and charge those who use such reports for political means,” she said in a statement.

Ng reckons this will send a strong message to those considering such political gimmicks in the future. “It would also help free police resources.”

She was commenting on several “controversial” police reports lodged recently.

These included claims that an NGO had been infiltrated by the Islamic State, that three retired senior civil servants – all with “Tan Sri” titles – were involved in a conspiracy to topple the government, and a report against the government’s decision to award pensions to Olympic medalists.

Rani Kulup had hundreds of police reports under his name, with the latest asking the government to ban the Pokemon Go mobile game in Malaysia, Ng noted.

She stressed there was a need to stem the rising trend of police reports being used for anything but to track down criminals or crime prevention.

“Those who lodge such frivolous and politically-motivated reports do so at the expense of taxpayers’ resources.”

As it is the men in blue were already stretched thin. “They could do without police reports based on ‘information’ that stretches one’s imagination.”

As enforcers of law and order, proper respect must be accorded to the police force, she continued. “They should not be treated like a political tool to intimidate and frustrate one’s political opponents.”

Roping in the police for one’s political theatrics was an affront to an important public institution as well as the Agong, Ng added.