No less a person than Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should table the draft bill for an independent watchdog over the police force during the upcoming parliamentary meeting.

This is the demand of a grouping of 38 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), whose representatives held a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

"We expect no one less (a person) than the prime minister to table the bill. It should be tabled by him and advocated by the whole cabinet," said activist Elizabeth Wong on their behalf.

Wong, the National Human Rights Society secretary, explained that Abdullah had a personal duty to do so since he had mooted the commission. Its recommendations should therefore be accepted in order not to waste public funds.

Also present were S Arutchelvan (Suara Rakyat Malaysia), Josef Roy (Amnesty International Malaysia), K Shan (Labour Resources Centre), Vinod Ravi (Tenaganita), Andrew Wong (Aliran), Suguna Papachan (Persatuan Sahabat Wanita ) and Lua Khang Wei (Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement).

The highlight of the 125 recommendations in the recently-released Royal police commission's report was to ask the government to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) - a draft bill was included to expedite the process.

Media reports last week had quoted a cabinet member as saying no decision has yet been made as to whether the bill will be tabled during the next parliamentary sitting from June 20.

However, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has given notice that the IPCMC draft bill will be tabled as a Private Member's Bill (which will require endorsement by the House before it can be debated).

'Just do it'

Arutchelvan said the tabling of the bill should not be left as a duty for the opposition parliamentarians.

"Should the prime minister table it, of course the opposition MPs will also support it. If the government really wants to show its commitment, just table and debate it," he said.

This was also the suggestion of commissioners from the now-dissolved Royal police commission, which was tasked to look into improving the operation and management of the police force following allegations of brutality and graft.

In their joint statement, the 38 NGOs called on the government to implement all the recommendations of the report immediately "so not to have the good and tireless work of the commission in producing the report go to waste".

They said the government should also implement recommendations that will encourage and enhance investigative policing, as well as policing that complies with human rights norms and obligations.

Pointing out shortcomings in the report, they said it shows insufficient regard to international human rights norms in relation to the recommendations on preventive detention laws and omissions on issues of race relations, police shootings and handling of the Kampung Medan conflict in 2001.

The statement further criticised the commission for grouping together issues involving women and children in the report, saying this reflected insufficient recognition of the rights of both groups.

Abdullah has announced he will head a task force to review and implement the recommendations, but scepticism has prevailed amongst activists over the government's willingness to follow through.

"We urge strong political will by the government in adhering to the report so as not to have the good and tireless work of the commissioners in producing the report go to waste," said the NGOs.