Malaysians have a right to know the recommendations made by the Special Police Commission in its interim report on police reform.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has called on the government to make public the preliminary report to demonstrate its pledge for "accountability, transparency and good governance".

"It is totally unsatisfactory and unacceptable that the Malaysian public should depend on bits and pieces of information whether from the chairman of the special commission, (Mohamed) Dzaiddin Abdullah, or comments from the prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, about the interim report...," said Lim in a press statement today.

The commission's secretary, Hamzah Md Rus, had earlier said that the report was categorised as a secret and the decision to release it for public consumption was that of the government's.

"The cabinet (which will have its weekly meeting tomorrow) should direct the full and immediate public release of the interim report...," added Lim.

Graft, excessive force

Lim said that the recommendations by the Special Police Commission should all the more be revealed given that Abdullah had wanted the measures implemented immediately.

Yesterday, Dzaiddin reported at a two-hour press conference that his commission had found corruption occurring at all levels of the police force.

This included the commercial crimes, traffic, narcotics, logistics, placement and promotion division as well as the investigating department of Unit D7, which probes vice, gambling and triad activity.

The commission also discovered that there had been excessive force used against suspects under arrest.

However, Dzaiddin did not reveal the recommendations the commission had made to overcome the force's endemic corruption and abuse of power.

Funded by taxpayers

Last Friday, a coalition of 42 non-government organisations urged the commission, set up on the instructions of the premier, not to be shrouded in secrecy as it is being funded by taxpayers and thus "duty-bound to be accountable to the public".

The 16-member special commission is headed by former chief justice Dzaiddin and is deputised by former police chief Hanif Omar.

The report, according to the commission, includes several suggestions on how to improve the police force amidst claims by human rights groups that the police are unprofessional, trigger-happy and high-handed.