KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 — The federal Opposition will wholly oppose the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill when it is tabled for the second reading, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

The federal Opposition leader claimed during a press conference at the sidelines of Parliament today that the government ignored feedback on the commission prior to the drafting of the Bill.

“It was understood that the Special Select Committee (SSC) had gone down to the states to engage stakeholders but after reading the report from the SSC and their findings, we were informed by our friends that their engagement exercise was only cosmetic and an act.

“When they met with the stakeholders, the police and the public didn’t agree with the clauses in the Bill. Even when they called in a Constitution expert, the expert didn’t agree with their views saying that it goes against some parts of the Constitution,” Ismail Sabri claimed.

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However, he acknowledged the Opposition could not block the Bill as it only needed a simple majority to pass.

Ismail then urged Putrajaya to withdraw the Bill in order to allow all stakeholders to have their say.

Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan speaks during a news conference at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur November 28, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan speaks during a news conference at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur November 28, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

PAS secretary-general and Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, who was at the press conference, also claimed the Bill should have been tabled by the home minister and not the minister in charge of legal affairs.

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“We insist that the IPCMC Bill be retracted because it is not following parliamentary rules and is against the Constitution. By right, the ministry in charge of the police is the Home Ministry. We were made to understand that the ministry is unaware about critical information in this Bill.

“We were also made to understand that the home minister had requested the government to reconsider the Bill.

“We believe that the de facto law minister has been used by NGOs through backbenchers to push their agenda using the Parliament as their platform,” said Takiyuddin.

Other Opposition lawmakers who voiced their support include Umno secretary-general and Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, PAS deputy president and Kubang Kerian MP Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, and GPS representative and Batang Sadong MP Datuk Nancy Shukri.

The IPCMC provides for civilian oversight of the police force and was the key recommendation of the 2005 royal commission of inquiry on the force.

The Bill was tabled for its first reading during the July meeting of Parliament but its second reading in the current meeting was delayed to allow a parliamentary select committee time to gather further feedback.