Law minister explains why complaints against IGP excluded from IPCMC

The authority of the inspector-general of police (IGP) will not be affected by the upcoming Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) said de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong.

Speaking to reporters after a dialogue with police personnel at the General Operations Force headquarters in Cheras yesterday, Liew said this was because the IGP's powers were governed by the Inspector-General's Standing Orders (IGSO).

He said under existing laws, complaints against the IGP would ultimately be handled by the chief secretary to the government.

"We will still have the IPCMC to investigate (potential) complaints against the IGP.

"The complaint would then be referred to the chief secretary of the government for further action," he said.

It is learned that complaints against the police chief will not be handled by the IPCMC to ensure that, among others, the top cop will be able to command respect from the rank and file. 

The IPCMC bill was tabled last July and is expected to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat next month.

The original bill was proposed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Police back in 2005 but was put in cold storage following protests from the police force.

Name change likely

Liew said police personnel at the dialogue were supportive of the IPCMC adding most of their reservations were aimed at the use of the word "misconduct" in the name of the commission.

"They are not comfortable with the word. I think this proposal has merit. We will look into it," he said, adding that some police personnel believed the word had negative connotations.

He said several misconceptions about the IPCMC were successfully debunked during the dialogue.

Liew said the IPCMC would consist of no more than 10 members who are required to have experience in either management or legal matters concerning the police.

However, the 10 would exclude serving police personnel.

The IGP would not have a direct role in the IPCMC although Liew said that the top cop might have to be consulted by the commission from time to time.

Eight key amendments

Liew said the government was currently mulling over eight key proposed amendments to the bill.

"There will be an additional clause in regards to the right to appeal by those who have already been sentenced under the IPCMC," he said.

He also clarified that the functions of the IPCMC and the police force's Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (Jips), which currently handles complaints against police personnel, would not overlap.

The IPCMC would deal more with criminal offences while the compliance department would handle disciplinary issues.

"Jips deals with issues such as tardiness, unsightly uniforms or dirty shoes.

"The IPCMC will deal with issues that are more serious such as deaths in custody or detentions [...] or corruption," he said.

Liew said he was not able to share details of the closed-door dialogue that he had with police personnel but said a lot of the grievances shared had to do with welfare and upkeep issues.

He added that there were complaints about dilapidated police infrastructure, poor housing conditions and equipment failures. - Mkini