PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya is currently studying the proposal to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

In a parliamentary written reply, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said his government also need to take note of two existing agencies – the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) and the police Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (JIPS) – which are already handling complaints against the police.

“The ministry will make a final decision upon completion of a detailed study,” said Mahathir, in reply to Oscar Ling (Harapan-Sibu) who inquired on whether and when the IPCMC would be formed.

Harapan, under Item 20 of its election manifesto, had promised to implement the IPCMC within its first term.

“All allegations of misconduct will be investigated in a fair and comprehensive way, including allegations of death in custody,” the manifesto states.

The IPCMC was proposed in 2005 by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police.

The Royal Commission had noted that there were widespread police abuses which were not being addressed.

At the time, the police top brass had heavily objected to the formation of the IPCMC, because the Royal Commission’s proposal did not contain provisions for appeal, among other reasons.

Following this, the administration of then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wavered and instead set up the EAIC in 2009. Critics said the EAIC was a highly diluted version of the IPCMC, with little bite.

Last year, 80 percent of the misconduct complaints received by the EAIC were against the police.