KUALA LUMPUR: The Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill 2019 has caught the attention of lawmakers at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today, with several government backbenchers urging the matter to be withdrawn.
The tabling of the IPCMC 2019 bill was adjourned at the Dewan Rakyat session in December last year to be referred to a special select committee for improvements and was included in the Standing Orders to be tabled during the current sitting.
Government backbenchers who raised the matter during the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill (2019) 2020, have urged for the IPCMC Bill to be withdrawn as they described it as persecution of the police force.
However, those from the opposition bloc urged the government to continue with the establishment of the commission as it would protect the welfare of police personnel.
Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas) said the motion was not the agenda of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
“As an UMNO MP, I have never agreed with the establishment of the IPCMC from the beginning.
He also pointed out that the IPCMC Bill requires an amendment to the Federal Constitution which requires a two-thirds majority and based on the current political landscape it will be impossible to achieve.
Mohamed Nazri said the country already had a special commission to look into matters of enforcement, namely, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (SIAP) which has the power to investigate enforcement agencies such as the Immigration Department, Customs Department and Road Transport Department (RTD).
“This (bill) is a form of persecution against police, if we want to create a special commission for the police then we should create similar one for immigration, customs and the RTD,” he said.
Agreeing with Mohamed Nazri, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) was also of the view that IPCMC should not be introduced as it may be chaired by MP with vested interest and inexperienced in the field of police force.
“Even though the Parliament is the highest legislative institution, we are worried that the IPCMC may be chaired by those with vested interests. The majority of police personnel do not agree with IPCMC as we have other authority to to check any form of misconduct,” he said.
Among the government supporters who stood up in support of the IPCMC Bill to be withdrawn were Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan); Tan Sri Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang); and Datuk Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif (BN-Jempol).
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub (PH-Pulai) said there was a need to establish a commission or act that the police must comply with so that the integrity of the institution could be preserved.
“If the current (PN) government feels that the IPCMC is unfair... it must be improved and there must be a policy or law or commission,” he said, agreeing to with Mohamed Nazri’s view that pressure should not be placed on the police force alone because other enforcement agencies are also vulnerable to incidents of misconduct.
Salahuddin’s argument received support from Rusnah Aluai (PH-Tangga Batu) who said that the IPCMC not only to find fault or tarnish the reputation of the police, but also to look after their welfare, including matters related to the police station infrastructure facilities. - Bernama
