IN a turnaround, police have given up fighting the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) but are looking to newly minted Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador to ensure their interests are upheld.

They believe Hamid would push for the welfare of policemen to be taken into account when police meet the Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) tomorrow ahead of the implementation which is expected soon.

Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last week disclosed that director-general of GIACC Abu Kassim Mohamed will brief police on the IPCMC with suggestions that it will take charge of disciplinary cases involving policemen.

Police have always maintained that the IPCMC was set up to punish errant policemen and are now demanding that senior police officers also be included in the committee overseeing the commission.

Malaysia Ex-Police Association (Mexpa) president Hussin Awang Ngah told The Malaysian Insight the association supported Hamid’s stance on the issue, which is to ensure the wellbeing of police officers as well as the public.

“Recently, the IGP said he will ensure the wellbeing of policemen. He also affirmed that IPCMC will benefit the public, too,” Hussin said.

“Therefore, we, as retired policemen, support his position on this issue.”

However, Hussin suggested the inclusion of serving police officers to the IPCMC.

“If IPCMC is for the good of the police force, I stand with it. However, I do hope the police will not be left out.

“It is best if the commission can include the cops as members in the committee,” he added.

After taking over as IGP last week, Hamid said he will ensure the IPCMC serves both the men in blue and the man on the street.

“I support the government’s wish to improve the image of the police, their welfare and effectiveness.

“As the IGP, I take responsibility to ensure the police will get the best outcome from all aspects while the public will feel protected and will get the best service from the setting up of the IPCMC,” Hamid reportedly said.

The IPCMC is a police oversight body proposed by a royal commission of inquiry in 2005 to improve the police force, following a spate of deaths in custody.

In 2006, the police force under IGP Mohd Bakri Omar launched a campaign to reject the IPCMC.

The federal police headquarters even came up with a special edition of an internal bulletin Berita Bukit Aman, where it attacked the IPCMC as being “unconstitutional, prejudicial to national security and public order, can cause a state of anarchy and undermines the ruling coalition’s power”.

Meanwhile, serving officers told The Malaysian Insight that they hoped the IPCMC won’t be implemented just to punish policemen.

A deputy superintendent attached to the Selangor police headquarters said he has no problems with the implementation as long as the officers are treated fairly in a disciplinary case.

“I am okay with it. The police have their own Integrity and Standards Department (JIPS) but if the government feels IPCMC is needed that we have to abide,” he said, speaking under the condition of anonymity.

A senior assistant commissioner, on the other hand, disagreed with IPCMC but stated that as a civil servant he has no option but to accept the decision.

“We have JIPS and we have ‘Suruhanjaya Pasukan Polis’ chaired by the home minister. Do we need another body to monitor us?

“But even if I disagree, I have to accept the final decision. I believe the IGP will be able to ensure our wellbeing as well as the public’s.

“I hope IPCMC won’t just look at our faults, it needs to be fair,” he said.

Muhyiddin had said he is aware of the grievances from the police.

“There are things that they are concerned about, and that is why there will be a special meeting with Abu Kassim from GIACC soon.

“Abu Kassim will be able to explain the IPCMC to police. Both parties will be able to exchange views, and I need to emphasise that we are not trying to exclude the force by implementing IPCMC,” he said.

Prior to the retirement of the former IGP Mohamad Fuzi Harun, senior officers rejected the implementation of IPCMC.

Fuzi said police have registered their objections in a memo to the Prime Minister’s Department.

Fuzi maintained there remained key issues that must be addressed by the government before the commission was set up.

Human rights advocates have been pushing for years for IPCMC to be established, following cases of corruption and abuse of power involving policemen.

The formation of the commission was one of the 125 proposals made by an RCI in 2005.

Soon after Pakatan Harapan won federal power, Muhyiddin said the new administration was in the process of implementing the IPCMC, as pledged by the pact in its election manifesto.

Police officers The Malaysian Insight spoke to admitted that it was inevitable that the IPCMC would be implemented soon, after years of rejecting it.

They have now pinned their hopes on the new IGP to ensure that some of their demands will be met. – May 9, 2019.