Opposition says will not support IPCMC Bill

KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition bloc, consisting of Barisan Nasional, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), has declared that it will not support the tabling of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill in Parliament.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that before the IPCMC is introduced, the government should focus on improving the livelihood of police personnel and their families.

“I was made to understand that in Sabah and Sarawak, police stations and their housing needs improvement.

“Before the IPCMC is introduced, the welfare of the police must be prioritised, ” he said.

Ismail was speaking to reporters during a joint press conference with PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, Batang Sadong MP Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri and several other top Opposition MPs at the Parliament lobby on Thursday (Nov 28).

Ismail also pointed out that there were many existing instruments to monitor the police at present.

“So the question is why the police need a special commission to monitor them?” he asked.

He also slammed the government for deciding to introduce the IPCMC Bill in Parliament despite disagreement from stakeholders and legal experts.

“The government can win with a simple majority. This shows that the government does not take into account the views of stakeholders, ” he added.

Ismail said Parliament’s Special Select Committee on Bills Consideration, which was in charge of scrutinising the IPCMC Bill, was merely “cosmetic”.

“Because when they met with stakeholders, the police and the public disagreed with the proposed clauses in the IPCMC.

“In fact, when the Special Select Committee was negotiating with stakeholders, legal experts who were called for their views also disagreed with the IPCMC, ” he said.

“The police force, which consists of 150,000 people who have sacrificed their lives for the people and the country, must be given support and not be oppressed by such laws, ” he added.

The IPCMC Bill was tabled on July 18 but was referred to a special select committee after the second reading on Oct 7 to allow for improvements on the proposed law.

The IPCMC is an independent commission to monitor the integrity of the police force and probe complaints of misconduct involving police personnel.