Edict launches signature campaign against 'toothless' IPCC Bill

 

A human rights group has launched a signature campaign against the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Bill, which is slated to be tabled for second reading in the current Dewan Rakyat sitting.

At a press conference, Eliminating Deaths and Abuse in Custody Together (Edict) urged Malaysians to reject the IPCC, which is not given investigating power against errant officers.

Its president, M Visvanathan, demands the government to replace IPCC with the original Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill drafted by the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) 16 years ago.

Edict expects to receive 10,000 signatures within two months.

"We started this campaign because IPCC, which is said to bring reform to the police force, is merely a joke and a drama," said Visvanathen.

The government should replace IPCC with the original version of IPCMC, which was empowered to take disciplinary action and granted investigating power as proposed by the RCI in 2005.

"The police objected to the IPCPC bill several times on the grounds that it would weaken the force... But they have nothing to fear if they do not make any mistake," he said.

M Visvanathan

"The IPCPC Bill that was tabled in Parliament during the Pakatan Harapan era was (another) joke and drama.

"I had met the then Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong and they admitted the bill is weaker than the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) Bill."

"To make matters worse, the Perikatan Nasional government tabled the IPCC Bill last year. You can have a commission (IPCMC) that is able to take disciplinary action and given investigating power, yet you don't want it," he said.

"The people have a stake and a say in the matter. We need to press for the government to table the IPCMC bill drafted in 2005. There are no two ways about it," he said.

Watered-down version

The IPCC Bill is a very watered-down version of the IPCMC - and is seen to be a toothless tiger.

Based on the bill that was presented to Parliament in August 2020, the IPCC cannot actually take any action against the bad cops.

Instead, it can only recommend action to the Police Force Commission or other relevant authorities.

Members of the force can also claim "national security interests" and refuse to disclose information to the IPCC. This is among other clauses that can frustrate an independent probe.

The IPCMC Bill was first proposed in 2005 as part of the 125 recommendations made by the RCI to enhance the operation and management of the Royal Malaysian Police.

The bill has “bite” as it provided enforcement powers to the IPCMC.

However, the government came out with a much weaker Special Complaints Commission (SCC), which was later renamed EAIC, formed during the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration.

The EAIC oversees the disciplinary conduct of all enforcement officers. But while it has the power to conduct investigation, it cannot prosecute and can only recommend action.

In 2019, the Harapan government tabled the IPCMC bill in Parliament but due to criticism about a lack of consultation, the bill was deferred for review by a parliamentary select committee. - Mkini