Parliament will resume sitting on Monday and what tops the list in Lim Kit Siang's agenda is the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Today, the parliamentary opposition leader called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to take a clear and decisive stand in Parliament to keep faith with his reform pledge and programme and restore public confidence that he has not abandoned or compromised his commitment for reform.

"Abdullah should dispel all impressions on the IPCMC issue that he had 'passed the buck' to the attorney-general (AG). The AG's role is purely advisory and has no policy-making function."

"Abdullah should make it crystal clear on Monday that whether the IPCMC is set up, is a policy question for the prime minister, cabinet and Parliament to decide and not the AG," he said in a statement today.

He also advised Abdullah not to buckle to threats or pressures whether from the police, Umno MPs and even ministers as public and national interest to have the IPCMC supercedes such threats.

Police action unacceptable

Lim also said that he would move an adjournment motion (that draws the attention of the House to a recent matter of urgent public importance) on 'Police insubordination, indiscipline and defiance of cabinet, government and parliamentary democracy'.

"I will refer to the posting of the official police website outlining protests and retaliatory actions which police could resort to if the key proposal of the Royal Police Commission for the establishment of the IPCMC is implemented."

The opposition leader deemed Inspector General of Police Mohd Bakri Omar's actions in consenting to anti-IPCMC material being circulated internally as 'unacceptable'.

"Such deviation and compromising the police role as the impartial professional and non-political holder of law and order is completely unacceptable."

"Parliament and the cabinet must make it clear that it would not permit such open defiance and challenge of the fundamental principles of democratic and good governance by the police, who are implementers and not policy makers.

"Firm disciplinary action should be taken against those in the police force implicated in such 'revolt' against ministerial, cabinet and parliamentary authority - completely without fear or favour," he added.

Lim will also be addressing other matters in the forthcoming Parliament besides the IPCMC issue.

They include requesting the premier for details on the negotiation on supply of sand and use of air-space to Singapore, measures taken by the government to ensure Malaysia's civil service is of world-class standard to achieve Vision 2020 and whether leakage from the Ninth Malaysia Plan could be reduced to a minimum.

He is also expected to press specific ministers for answers, including the minister for international trade and industry for details of the free trade agreement talks with the US and the higher education minister on his positions towards the Zahid Higher Education Report with recommendations made to create world-class university systems in the country.