KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his deputy need not get bristly over calls for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), PKR’s Azmin Ali (picture) said today, pointing out that its setting up could only mend the battered image of our law enforcers in the public’s eyes.
The PKR deputy president also advised both Ahmad Zahid and Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar to cast aside flimsy excuses to oppose the special oversight commission in their mistaken apprehension to shield the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and the police force, which comes under the Home Ministry’s watch.
He warned that further excuses would be seen as a “red herring to hide the fact that the BN government of Najib is just not sincere in making good their electoral promises of a more transparent government”.
“The government must stop giving the impression that there is a witch hunt against the police,” said Azmin, who is also Gombak MP.
Nobody has accused the entire police force of shirking their responsibilities or making mischief, the federal lawmaker said.
But the rising number of deaths of suspects while in police custody and the complaints of excessive force in nabbing people are grounds for concern that must be investigated by an independent body, he pointed out.
“The police force is funded by taxpayers’ money and must be answerable to the people,” Azmin said, adding that “Umno-BN leaders should stop feeling threatened by such a commission.”
The opposition politician urged his rivals to back the introduction of the IPCMC, telling them that the benefits of the proposed commission would enhance public perception of the police force besides boosting their credibility.
Ahmad Zahid had told Parliament this week that the proposed IPCMC would result in overlapping jurisdictions and laws among the county’s enforcement agencies.
He also said the proposed introduction of the IPCMC was rejected by the government as it was not in line with the Federal Constitution and was against the concept of justice while Wan Junaidi claimed the body would treat police officers “worse than criminals”.
The home minister’s seemingly belligerent remarks to justify the BN government’s rejection of the IPCMC have drawn severe criticism from civil society leaders, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) opposition, and moderate voices within the establishment.
Former High Court Judge Datuk V.T. Singham said there was an urgent need to seriously consider setting up an IPCMC to investigate claims of disciplinary offences by the police to eliminate accusations of “horror stories” in lockups.
Singham, who retired recently, said it was time to set up the IPCMC, as recommended by the Royal Commission for Police Reforms, as soon as possible.
Just two days ago a member of the royal commission that recommended special oversight over the police said he felt “gay” compared to the “macho” Ahmad Zahid and his deputy who had slammed the proposed police oversight.
“...having read comments on IPCM(C) by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) and his deputy Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. I must confess that I LOVE these macho guys and I feel very gay,” Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, a former editor-in-chief of the New Straits Times, said in a posting on his blog.
“They are GOOD! Or shall I say better than good. Phew, for a while I thought we are without macho leaders.”
Kadir was part of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operations and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police Force, which made 125 recommendations in its 2005 report. This included the setting up of the IPCMC.
Former Chief Justice Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah chaired the commission. Former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar and former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas were also members.
Putrajaya has so far shun the idea despite Najib’s promise to implement political reform.
But the latest conflict among Cabinet members over of the Sedition Act, which Najib had last year pledged to replace with a national harmony law, is threatening the sixth prime minister’s reformist image.
