IPCMC will finally be set up

PUTRAJAYA: Thirteen years after it was first mooted, Malaysia will finally establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the IPCMC would replace the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), and would act as an independent body to look into police complaints more holistically.

“The EAIC will be enhanced and changed into the IPCMC. It will be an independent and more holistic body.

“So there is a change in function and officers will have to be transferred,” he said after chairing the fourth meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption here.

Dr Mahathir said there were many complaints against the police force and the government wanted to ensure the police would “clean up” their act.

“We will work hard to clean up the police force and ensure they receive proper treatment as police officers. At the same time, they must also work hard to clean themselves up,” he said.

The IPCMC is a police oversight body first proposed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to improve the police force in 2005, following a spate of deaths in custody.

One of the 125 recommendations by the RCI was for an IPCMC to be set up, which will be independent and able to investigate police misconduct, as well as take necessary action.

The establishment of the IPCMC was also one of the pledges in Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto for the 14th General Election.

Cleaning house: Dr Mahathir speaking to reporters after Cabinet committee meeting on corruption as Director-General of Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed looks on. — Bernama

In 2011, the government established the EAIC which had limited powers, as it could only recommend action that should be taken.

In an immediate reaction, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the government’s decision was in line with Bukit Aman’s goal of enhancing integrity among its personnel.

“We are all for such a move to ensure the rights of our personnel are preserved.

“The commission will also ultimately enable us to deliver a better service for the public,” he said.

The special cabinet committee on anti-corruption also decided that politicians would no longer be allowed to be appointed as heads of missions.

Dr Mahathir said the Foreign Ministry had proposed the move and the committee agreed.

There should not be any more cases of politicians, whether retired or not, being rewarded with ambassador appointment.

“We will no longer allow that. This is a strong action against ourselves because of course there are many members of the government who would like to enjoy life abroad as a diplomat,” said Dr Mahathir.

The Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption meeting also came up with other decisions, including replacing the Public Complaints Bureau with Ombudsman Malaysia, which Dr Mahathir said would be headed by an individual “whose integrity is unimpeachable”.

“The government will have to table an Ombudsman Act in Parliament,” he said.

An ombudsman is a government official appointed to receive and investigate complaints of abuses by public officials.

Other decisions made include absorbing the National Institute of Integrity, the National Integrity and Good Governance Department and similar agencies dealing with integrity under the new National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption.