A mock parliament held in Penang for the first time recently was told that an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) should only be set up when there is a change of government from BN to Pakatan Rakyat.
Law student Dalbinder Singh, who played the role of the parliamentary opposition leader, questioned if an effective and independent commission can be set up under the present government which is “plagued by many problems”.
“We have other institutions like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which seems to be tarnished beyond words because it is not independent,” Dalbinder said, referring to the commissioners being under the payroll of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Until we have a change of government, we should not form an IPCMC under this ‘kangkung’ government which is plagued with problems, where the police and MACC are not free,” he added in the two-hour session last Saturday.
He was debating on the motion to form an IPCMC to address police reforms and incidents of custodial deaths tabled by another law student, Omar Kutty Abdul Aziz, who acted as the prime minister.
The federal government is not in favour of forming the IPCMC as it already has the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).
Jointly organised by Penang speaker Law Choo Kiang, human rights NGO Suaram and Amnesty International (Penang branch), the event saw about 25 participants - mostly law students and budding young politicians - taking part in the session at the state legislative assembly along Jalan Light Street.
Accompanying Law, who presided over the event, were first-time parliamentarians N Surendran (PKR-Padang Serai) and Steven Sim (DAP-Bukit Mertajam), Suaram spokesperson Ong Jing Cheng and Amnesty Penang branch representative and human rights lawyer Clement Ong.
Surendran and Sim spoked at length to explain the importance of the IPCMC to address the issue of custodial death, which has seennine cases in four months this year.
Law, who is PKR Bukit Tambun assemblyperson, gave the participants a lecture on the proceedings of the state assembly, pointing out relevant items in the August House’s standing orders or rules and regulations.
‘Other institutions can’t address the issue’
Responding to Dalbinder during the debate, Omar said the state government must not be “overshadowed by its own fears” and should strive to set up the commission to deal with the many cases of police custodial deaths.
“What else can we do, we cannot wait. We need to set up the IPCMC, we cannot accommodate the police’s dignity and sacrifice the people’s right to the rule of natural justice,” he said.
“Other existing institutions like Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) cannot address the issue of custodial death as it has no enforcement powers; the MACC merely deals with corruption issues and not police misconduct,” he added.
“The EAIC is not effective; the government has recently spent RM14 million on its operations in two years but all it has achieved is to issue two summonses and recommended one disciplinary action. Besides, it is overloaded with work as it has to monitor 90 agencies,” Omar stressed.
An exhibition depicting photos of victims of custodial deaths and information on the cases were also displayed for public viewing at the state legislative assembly hall.
Law student Dalbinder Singh, who played the role of the parliamentary opposition leader, questioned if an effective and independent commission can be set up under the present government which is “plagued by many problems”.
“We have other institutions like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which seems to be tarnished beyond words because it is not independent,” Dalbinder said, referring to the commissioners being under the payroll of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Until we have a change of government, we should not form an IPCMC under this ‘kangkung’ government which is plagued with problems, where the police and MACC are not free,” he added in the two-hour session last Saturday.
He was debating on the motion to form an IPCMC to address police reforms and incidents of custodial deaths tabled by another law student, Omar Kutty Abdul Aziz, who acted as the prime minister.
The federal government is not in favour of forming the IPCMC as it already has the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).Jointly organised by Penang speaker Law Choo Kiang, human rights NGO Suaram and Amnesty International (Penang branch), the event saw about 25 participants - mostly law students and budding young politicians - taking part in the session at the state legislative assembly along Jalan Light Street.
Accompanying Law, who presided over the event, were first-time parliamentarians N Surendran (PKR-Padang Serai) and Steven Sim (DAP-Bukit Mertajam), Suaram spokesperson Ong Jing Cheng and Amnesty Penang branch representative and human rights lawyer Clement Ong.
Surendran and Sim spoked at length to explain the importance of the IPCMC to address the issue of custodial death, which has seennine cases in four months this year.
Law, who is PKR Bukit Tambun assemblyperson, gave the participants a lecture on the proceedings of the state assembly, pointing out relevant items in the August House’s standing orders or rules and regulations.
‘Other institutions can’t address the issue’
Responding to Dalbinder during the debate, Omar said the state government must not be “overshadowed by its own fears” and should strive to set up the commission to deal with the many cases of police custodial deaths.
“What else can we do, we cannot wait. We need to set up the IPCMC, we cannot accommodate the police’s dignity and sacrifice the people’s right to the rule of natural justice,” he said.
“Other existing institutions like Suhakam (Malaysian Human Rights Commission) cannot address the issue of custodial death as it has no enforcement powers; the MACC merely deals with corruption issues and not police misconduct,” he added.
“The EAIC is not effective; the government has recently spent RM14 million on its operations in two years but all it has achieved is to issue two summonses and recommended one disciplinary action. Besides, it is overloaded with work as it has to monitor 90 agencies,” Omar stressed.
An exhibition depicting photos of victims of custodial deaths and information on the cases were also displayed for public viewing at the state legislative assembly hall.
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