The cabinet has agreed to beef up the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) to provide it with more teeth, in accordance with calls from the people.

azlan However, the areas to be strengthened and the measures to be taken will first have to be studied.

This could include providing prosecution powers to the EAIC, said Paul Low, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

"There are two types of prosecution powers; disciplinary powers in cases of misconduct and prosecution powers for criminal offences. We are looking into it."

He was speaking at a joint press conference with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and de facto law minister Nancy Shukri.

As things stand, he noted, the EAIC already has "enough provisions" to keep enforcement agencies in check.

Low, who has ministerial oversight of the EAIC, said the commission will also be given "more resources" especially in terms of human resources.

Ahmad Zahid, meanwhile, said the government has chosen to "strengthen the EAIC" because the public believes the system is still "loose".

NONE He also said the cabinet has set benchmarks for him, Low and Nancy, as it views custodial deaths as an important issue.

"The cabinet feels we must expedite measures in dealing with the matter which has become a polemic," he said.

In previously responding to calls for the formation of the Integrity and Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), Low had said it would be better to strengthen the EAIC instead.

Calls for the IPCMC have been renewed after a spate of deaths in custody this year, including that of N Dhamendran who was found with staples on his ears.

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