What is the role of the commission?

KUALA LUMPUR: The Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was first suggested by a Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police.

It was one of 125 recommendations the commission made in its 433-page report, which was released to the public in May 2005.

Commission chairman Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah had said then that the proposed body would help ensure that rules and regulations would be “vigorously enforced, and non-compliance swiftly detected and acted upon”.

The commission believed the setting up of this body would be an important development in the governance of the force, and help restore the people’s confidence in the police.

The IPCMC would receive and investigate complaints against the police, among other things.

The commission was also to be given the power to initiate investigations on its own even when there was no complaint from the public.

Furthermore, the commission would have the power to order any action it deemed fit, including discharge, suspension of allowances and increments, and demotion, should a member of the police be found guilty.

Dzaiddin was quoted as saying that the decision of the commission should be final and not subject to appeal. However, it could still be overturned in the courts.

The panel suggested that the IPCMC be made up of seven members appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and chaired by a person with a legal background.

Dzaiddin had also said that such independent bodies had already been set up in Australia, Britain and Singapore.