A standard body search procedure will be included in the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), which is to be tabled for amendment in this Parliament sitting, said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

"The Attorney-General's (AG) Chambers will ask for the standard body search procedure to be included in the CPC and used by all enforcement agencies," he added during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) had also agreed to immediately terminate its practice of asking detainees to do ear-squats in the nude.

Last year, the government set up the Commission to Inquire into the Standard Operating Procedure, Rules and Regulations in Relation to the Conduct of Body Search in Respect of an Arrest and Detention by the Police.

The commission was formed after the exposure of a video-clip showing a woman police detainee being told to perform ear squats in the nude.

In its report later, the commission called on the police to stop this practice, which it described as 'improper' and an affront to human rights.

Currently, body searches are done under the standard operation procedure, a set of guidelines determined by the police, and many fear that this could lead to abuses.

IPCMC formation

Asked by opposition leader Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur) if the government would form the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), the premier said the proposal had been submitted to the AG's Chambers.

"We have to make sure the opinions of the public and police are taken into account as well," he said, adding that the public complaints bureau is also handling similar complaints.

Abdullah also revealed that 81 or 65 percent of the recommendations made by the Royal Police Commission have been implemented.

Another 19 recommendations would be implemented in due course, he added.

"The remaining 25 recommendations or 20 percent are still being studied," he said, explaining that it warranted further study since they involved amendments to preventive laws, the CPC and Police Act.

The Royal Police Commission's report, released last May, proposed 125 recommendations to improve the police force.

Political will

Meanwhile, responding to a question from Lim on a different matter, the premier said the government was strongly committed to improve its weaknesses.

In a supplementary question, Lim asked if the government lacked the political will to rectify its shortcomings despite spewing many inspirational words such as 'human capital' and 'thinking out of the box'.

The opposition leader cited the recent flood in Shah Alam and the cracks on the Middle Ring Road 2 as some of the weaknesses.

"When we make changes, we don't just look forward. There are many things behind that we must look into, rectification must be done. We did not say there is no problem... the question now is if a problem crops up, do we pay attention to it or not," said Abdullah.

"Our efforts are holistic. It's not as if we are not committed. It's easier for other people to comment than to do because doing takes time but our commitment is strong," he added.