Now you see it, now you don't... now you see it again. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has apparently 'rescued' a recommendation of the royal police commission that was destined for oblivion only last Thursday.

Then, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz had told the Dewan Rakyat that the government had "turned down" a recommendation on the operations of the Special Branch.

Today, though, Abdullah said the government would fully implement - albeit in stages - all the recommendations of the royal police commission to improve the management and operations of the police force.

"The government in principle is committed to implementing all 125 recommendations contained in the royal police commission's report," he said in a three-page written reply to Ghazali Ibrahim (BN-Padang Terap). The same question was asked by four other MPs.

"However, implementation will be based on priority, suitability and the ability of the government, (taking into consideration the) finance and legal implications."

Nazri was not available for comment today.

Last week, he said the recommendation on making the police Special Branch unit more accountable and transparent had been rejected.

In its report, the commission said it had received complaints about Special Branch, including allegations of "torture, humiliating and degrading" treatment inflicted on those detained under the Internal Security Act.

The commission expressed concern that the Special Branch "may be manipulated by a party in power", noting that there are no legal provisions to deal with the functions, powers and duties of the unit. It therefore recommended that accountability should be enhanced via "safeguards to be written into the law".

Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timor) raised this matter during the question session.

Mohd Nazri's oral reply was that there is nothing wrong with the system and that there was no necessity to implement the recommendation or to subject the management of the Special Branch to parliamentary scrutiny.

Lim later described the reply as "the first recommendation to be rejected".

'Play a role'

Abdullah's written reply today also said that five sub-committees have been formed to conduct a detailed study into the recommendations. He heads the cabinet task force on implementation.

Implementation will take between six months to five years, as suggested and stipulated in the commission's report, he said.

"The government is committed to ensuring that enhancement (of management and operations) will be for everyone's benefit, in line with efforts to turn the police force into an enforcement agency that is excellent and one to be reckoned with," he said.

The premier, who is also the internal security minister, reiterated that the government is serious about tackling rampant corruption in the police force and in other government agencies.

He said the police and the Anti-Corruption Agency are investigating related allegations contained in the commission's report, and that the government would not hesitate to act should the claims be proved.

Abdullah also urged the public to play their role by providing information and refraining from giving bribes to civil servants.

There is as yet no indication that the government will table the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) draft bill during the current sitting of Parliament. The IPCMC has been described as the most crucial of the commission's recommendations.