Make IPCMC happen

 If there is a football match between two countries, the rule of thumb is that the referee and linesperson will be from a third country.

The same goes with badminton, tennis, sepak takraw or whatever sport it may be. Why is it so? Because innately we know that in a situation where a judgment call needs to be made, there must be impartiality to ensure justice.

This isn’t a controversial stand, it’s common sense. This is why when it comes to the police, suddenly this idea of impartiality is contentious. Asking for a proper check and balance mechanism for the police force does not make one anti-police or pro-crime, it’s just logic.

Just look at what happened to the assault case involving the disabled Grab driver, if the report wasn’t leaked to the media or if the press didn’t get wind of the case it would have been swept right under the carpet.

Imagine how many cases go unreported, because if indeed what Ong Ing Keong said in his press conference turned out to be true, this may not be an isolated case.

Some may argue that we do have checks and balances by pointing out the IPCC (Independent Police Conduct Commission) and the Bukit Aman Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, but the first lacks teeth while the other is an internal mechanism, cops investigating other cops.

Reformasi promises

Before there was a Madani coalition there was the Reformasi movement, which would talk about this. They would hold rallies on the streets and would shout at the top of their lungs about justice and reforms on ceramah stages.

They promised institutional changes and to be fair, when they got to power the first time around they almost kept their promise. The Pakatan Harapan government did table a bill for an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), ironically under the premiership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which got derailed after the Sheraton Move.

Yet now, with a bigger majority and a supposedly more progressive prime minister, the Madani government opt to keep IPCC, a watered-down version of IPCMC introduced by their arch nemesis Perikatan Nasional.

What is the point of garnering the support of six Bersatu MPs, cutting deals with Umno and controlling a supermajority in Parliament if nothing is to come out of it?

We are not naive, we understand that in “real politics” you need this horsetrading but I sincerely would like to ask the folks at Harapan, what are you getting from all of these deals?

This is because if no reforms are being made through the power of a supermajority, then I guess the whole point of all the dealings are simply for the sake of power and position. Is that it? Seriously? It can’t be just that right?

You made the promise, you have the numbers and you have a pretty clear reason to do so. It would bring so much benefit not just to the general public but also to good, honest and hardworking police officers who don'‘t deserve to be dragged through the mud thanks to the few bad apples.

We don’t need another strongly worded press conference with hard-to-pronounce Malay words. What we need is an action plan and execution.

Make it happen. - Mkini

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ZAIDEL BAHARUDDIN is Muda vice-president.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.