Authorities should cease using “technical glitches” in the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) as an excuse to reject its formation, said Gerakan secretary-general Mah Siew Keong.

NONE Mah ( right ) was referring to claims by a deputy minister that the IPCMC  went against the concept of justice, as it stripped police personnel being investigated of their right to appeal and legal representation.

Instead, he said the police force should “welcome scrutiny of its duties” as the IPCMC is within Malaysia’s constitutional framework.

“It is just a question of our own will and determination in the setting up of the IPCMC, technical glitches should not be made a deliberate excuse to shy away from the sensible demand of the public,” Mah said in a statement today.

He also said that the crime problems in Malaysia could not be solved if authorities continue relying on preventive laws.

“If we continue relying on preventive laws without the need to investigate the crimes committed and subsequently charge the suspect in court, then we will never solve the crime problem and instead we will once again return to the discredited approach of using preventive laws as the easy way out,” he said.

Mah opined that recent spike in crime rates was not due to the absence of a preventive law like the Emergency Ordinance (EO), but rather due to the police’s “over-reliance” on “stop-gap” measures  without the need to probe crimes.

He also said that the fact that police topped the list of public complaints lodged with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), shows that the people are dissatified with the work of the police.

Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, in a separate statement, also urged the government to stop “giving an impression that there is a witch hunt” against the police due to proposals to implement the IPCMC.

“No one is saying the entire police force is not doing its jobs or is not performing its tasks, much less do mischief.

"However, there are enough cases of custodial deaths and other complaints of excessive force that warrant investigation by an independent commission,” Azmin said.

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