Former chief justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah has been appointed chairperson of the 16-member royal commission on the police force.

"It is not only a great honour but also an onerous appointment. I see it as a national service," Dzaiddin told Bernama .

In a statement released today, the Prime Minister's Office also named former Inspector-General of Police Mohammad Hanif Omar as the commission's deputy chairperson.

The commission members include five from the legal fraternity, four NGO activists, three corporate figures including one former journalist, one ex-police chief, one former politician and one retired top civil servant.

They are former Lord President Salleh Abas, Petronas chairperson Azizan Zainal Abidin, social activist and vice chairperson of the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation Lee Lam Thye, lawyer Zaki Azmi, Transparency International Malaysia president Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, former MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek, former top civil servant Dr Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim, High Court judge Zaleha Zahari and Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute chief executive officer Michael Yeoh.

The others are former New Straits Times group editor and Editor-in-Chief of Berita Publishing A Kadir Jasin, Malaysian Muslim Women Consultative Council president Kamilia Ibrahim, Bar Council chairperson Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari, MIC-linked Social Strategic Foundation executive director Denison Jayasooria dan Women's Aid Organisation director Ivy Josiah.

Home Ministry's Security and Public Order secretary Hamzah Che Rus will serve as the commission secretary.

Terms of reference?

The Agong, who gave the seal of approval to the appointments today, also spelt out six terms of reference for the commission. However, it is unclear what these terms of reference are.

When contacted, commission members told malaysiakini that they were unable to provide further details on the inquiry's terms of reference as they had yet to receive their official letters of appointment.

The panel has been given 12 months to submit its report to the Agong and is required to present a preliminary report of its investigation within six months.

On Dec 29 last year, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the establishment of the commission at a gathering of the country's top police officers.

He said the aim of the commission was to modernise the police force and restore its credibility which had been tainted by corruption and alleged use of excessive force.

Image crisis

Abdullah, who is also home minister, said cases of corruption involving police officials have undermined the public's confidence, and issues such as police brutality and poor service have further clouded their image.

He lamented that while crime rates have dropped, many Malaysians "still do not feel safe".

"The Malaysian police is facing an image crisis due to corruption and an inefficient work process. We must work to change the people's perception of the police and regain their trust," he said.

Abdullah also said the royal commission would seek to modernise police operations, find ways to improve work ethics and cut bureaucracy, and build a force well-versed in human rights when discharging their duties.

The country's last royal commission was into the beating of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim while in police custody in 1998.

It recommended that former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor be charged in court for the attack.