The teams that reportedly would be disbanded are the Special Tactical Intelligence Narcotics Group (STING), Special Task Force for Anti-Vice, Gaming and Gangsterism (STAGG), and the Special Task Force on Organised Crime (STAFOC).

He said previously the roles of the force’s elite teams, such as the Special Action Unit (UTK) and the VAT 69 Commando were adequate for crime intervention and prevention operations.

“What I see now is the STING, STAGG and STAFOC teams are under their respective department directors and the IGP does not know what they are doing.

“Hence, I agree that the three teams be disbanded because the IGP needs to know how many operations are being carried out by the police force,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama.

“There is no need for elite troops in each unit because the number of police personnel are insufficient and these elite teams are also placed under the IGP’s authority.”

Musa said when he was the IGP, all department directors would brief him regularly and thus, he was aware of their activities.

“After all, the IGP needs to know all the operations carried out by the force’s department directors,” he said.

He said the elite troops acted on the IGP’s instructions to carry out operations instead of intelligence gathering.

“We only engage both teams (UTK and VAT 69) whenever there was a danger that the suspects could be carrying firearms and that’s when the elite troops were roped in,” he said.