'Gov't mulls separate committee to monitor enforcement agencies, except PDRM'

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government has agreed to look into forming a separate committee to oversee complaints against 20 other enforcement agencies, aside from the police force.

This is if the current Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), which oversees all enforcement agencies, gets upgraded to the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), which will only focus on complaints against the police force, Mahathir said.

"The government has taken note of the issue that has come up related to the monitoring of 20 enforcement agencies in Malaysia if the EAIC gets upgraded to the IPCMC.

"The meeting today has agreed with the suggestion to examine the need to form a complaints committee to monitor cases of complaints and wrongdoing for the 20 other agencies aside from the police," Mahathir said at a press conference after chairing a special committee meeting on anti-corruption efforts.

The Pakatan Harapan government tabled the IPCMC Bill in the Dewan Rakyat on July 18 last year, with the IPCMC meant to replace the EAIC.

The second and third readings of the IPCMC Bill were slated to be tabled in early December last year, but were moved to the Parliament session in March this year, reportedly to allow all relevant stakeholders to provide further feedback.

This is the second postponement of the debate on the bill. It was earlier referred to the Parliament’s Special Select Committee in October last year to be discussed more thoroughly before being taken to the Dewan Rakyat. - Mkini