MOST COMPLAINTS TO EAIC INVOLVE POLICE PERSONNEL - LIEW

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16  -- About 75 per cent of complaints which were received by the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC)  involves Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) personnel since it was set up in 2004 until to date.

‘’Meanwhile, the rest involved 20 other enforcement agencies,’’ said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong in his written answer which was highlighted in the Parliament website today.

He was answering to a question from Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) who wanted to know the rational of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) bill stipulating that the EAIC be abolished when the commission is set up.

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EAIC was reportedly set up in February 2004 following public anxiety over the increase of deaths in detention, allegations of police brutality and abuse of power.

Azalina also asked that seeing the scope of EAIC was broad to monitor other enforcement agencies other than the RMP, was the government planning to send the IPCMC bill to the Special Select Committee For Consideration of Bills so that certain improvements were made.

Liew said, although the scope of EAIC was seen as as wider in monitoring more enforcement agencies, the power of EAIC was limited seeing it could only make recommendations to the disciplinary authorities (DA) of the enforcement agency in question.

He said IPCMC was specified only for RMP personnel because it was designated with a new power, namely, a power to impose discipline in line with the proviso to Article 140(1) of the Federal Constitution which allowed another body other the Police Commission to discipline the police.

‘’As such, the scope and usage of IPCMC is only applicable for the RMP in line with the aspiration of IPCMC to become (DA) to the RMP as permitted by the Federal Constitution.

He said the Dewan Rakyat which convened on Oct 7 (Monday) had unanimously agreed to send the IPCMC bill to the Special Select Committee For Consideration of Bills for purpose of improvements.

The government would also conduct several series of engagements with stakeholders, interested parties and the media to obtain their views and suggestions for improvements.

-- BERNAMA