PETALING JAYA: There has been renewed calls for the setting of Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) after Malaysia’s Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) implicated the police in its findings on the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat and Pastor Raymond Koh.
Among the groups called for the establishment of the IPMC were the National Patriot Association (Patriot), the group of influential Malays (G25), Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
Patriot and G25 said the police must be made accountable for any miscarriage of justice. They said Suhakam’s findings have further eroded public confidence in the police force where past missteps and bad governance during the previous administration have yet to be redeemed.
“We strongly believe that the government should establish the IPCMC without further delay so that there is an independent body with close oversight of police functions and which can conduct an immediate inquiry into incidents that give rise to concerns over abuse of police powers,“ they said in a joint statement today.
“Any death of police detainees in lock- up cells must be immediately investigated by the IPCMC. Any police shooting of suspects should be investigated to determine if it was justified. All police forces in advanced countries have such a system of monitoring and verification to give confidence to the public that their interests against abuse of power are safeguarded.”
Proham chairman Datuk Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari and secretary general Ivy Josiah called the findings disturbing and alarming.
“The police force is responsible for maintaining public order, with the safety of the rakyat being amongst their top priority,“ they said in a joint statement. “For the same entity to be involved in kidnapping and the forced disappearance of Malaysian individuals is chilling and unacceptable.
“The setting up of the IPCMC would allow urgent and crucial investigations and hastens the process of bringing those responsible to justice,“ they said.
“Furthermore, an independent oversight mechanism is highly necessary to not only hold inquiries inquire but to prevent misuse of power by a powerful agency such as the police.”
PSM said the IPCMC is needed as the police cannot investigate themselves. “Over the years, we have seen how the BN Government has tried to do everything except implement the IPCMC,“ PSM Central Committee Member S. Arutchelvan said.
