The police should accept the fact that the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) has to be implemented, whether they like it or not, BN Backbenchers Club chairperson Shahrir Samad stressed today.

"They (the police) have to accept it. This is a national policy which was proposed by the (Police) Royal Commission. This is no longer a case of having to convince them. I think they have to accept it as a matter of life because it has to be implemented," he said when contacted.

He said the police has been resisting the formation of IPCMC due to overwhelming pressure from within the force.

"I think their objection is more due to pressure. They feel that they have been singled out. They have been bashed by the media, politicians and NGOs. I feel that this is a reaction rather than an objection," he said.

In its front-page report yesterday, Utusan Malaysia said three police associations had voiced their rejection to the establishment of IPCMC.

The Senior Police Officers Associations/Inspector Branch, Senior Police Officers Association/Gazetted Officers Branch and Junior Police Officers Association had submitted a memorandum indicating their objection to the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) and the government.

They argued that there are already such bodies, including RMP internal disciplinary section, Police Force Commission, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and public complaint bureau (PCB), to scrutinise the police force.

Responding to this, Shahrir reiterated that the IPCMC was pivotal but agreed that the PCB should be strengthened to receive and investigate complaints from the public.

Citing his own experience with the PCB, he said his complaint to the bureau 'many years ago' had met with no outcome.

"My experience with PCB was not comforting. I did it before, (it had) no impact," he related.

Shahrir who is also Johor Baru MP, however, declined to divulge the detail of his complaint.

Misquoted by paper

He also rebutted the report in the same Malay daily which quoted him as saying that he objected to the formation of the IPCMC.

"No. That was incorrect. It's not true that I do not support it (IPCMC)," he said.

He explained that he was asked for his opinion about the three police associations' proposal that the PCB should be strengthened to cover other organisations as well.

"They just asked me for my opinion on the three police associations that they want the PCB to be strengthened to cover other groups well. I agreed on that one," he added.

Shahrir has lent his support to inaugurate the IPCMC when the nude 'ear-squat' scandal sparked wide indignation.

He insisted that his stance in supporting the IPCMC has not changed.

"I always have been saying that I support the IPCMC. I said it when there was the so-called Chinese girls and 'ear-squat' incident," he said, adding that the independent commission will ensure that any incident of alleged police misconduct would be managed properly.

No final decision?

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang expressed shock at the statement by Internal Security Deputy Minister Chia Kwang Chye in the Chinese press today saying that "the government had not made a "final decision" on the establishment of the IPCMC.

"Does this mean that the most important of the 125 recommendations of the first Royal Commission might not be implemented after all," Lim asked in a statement.

"From Chia's remarks, it would appear that the whole question of whether the IPCMC would be established is still fluid and subject to change, which is completely at variance with the categorical announcement by the prime minister on January 24 that "the government has agreed to set up an independent commission to receive complaints on and monitor police misconduct as soon as possible in an effort to improve the police service" and that "the Attorney-General's Chambers was looking into the details before the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was set up", said Lim.

He added that the prime minister should clarify the air to reaffirm that a definitive decision had been taken by the government to set up the IPCMC and that it would not bow to pressures whether in the form of this week's Botakgate incident or others to change its mind.