Human rights watchdog Suaram has urged Putrajaya to ensure that the incoming Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) be given prosecution powers.

The group said the present Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) had inadequate investigation and prosecution powers, rendering it ineffective, albeit having performed respectably within its constraints.

"The (EAIC's) lack of any legal powers to compel police to adopt the recommended disciplinary action or to take direct criminal and legal action against errant officers rendered EAIC as nothing more than a truth commission," it said in a statement. 

This, claimed Suaram, had allowed enforcement agencies to enjoy a culture of impunity, particularly in cases involving custodial deaths.

"The government must learn from this mistake and provide IPCMC with the necessary powers to enforce its disciplinary recommendations and initiate criminal or legal action in cases of serious violations of human rights or abuse of power," it said.

Suaram also proposed that the IPCMC be allowed to inherit custodial death cases, among others, from the EAIC in order to take action against enforcement personnel who contributed to the death of detainees.

"Those who caused the death of S Balamurugan, Syed Mohd Azlan, Karuna Nithi, A Kugan, N Dharmendran and countless others are still walking free with impunity.

"IPCMC must be able to bring perpetrators of these murders to light and ensure that justice is done for those who perished and their family members who are forced to live with the loss inflicted upon them," said the group.

Yesterday, the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption resolved to turn the EAIC into the IPCMC. Details are scarce at present.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad did say that the IPCMC would be an "independent body" and that it would be more "holistic."