A VERSION of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), where the public can air complaints about the police, may be recommended by the institutional reform committee.

Committee member Mah Weng Kwai said after the committee’s first meeting in Kuala Lumpur today that recommendations by a royal commission into the matter in 2005 would be reviewed.

The retired court of appeal judge and former Suhakam commissioner said some recommendations, which will be submitted to the government in 60 days, may involve amendments to present laws.

Present at today’s meeting were retired Court of Appeal judge K.C. Vohrah, National Patriots Association president brig gen (rtd) Mohamed Arshad Raji, Tunku Abdul Rahman Professor of Law at Universiti Malaya Shad Saleem Faruqi and National Human Rights Society president Ambiga Sreenevasan.

The IPCMC was among the recommendations made by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police in its May 2005 report.

The recommendation then was for the formation of an oversight body tasked with investigating complaints on police personnel and holding police accountable for their conduct, including acts of negligence.

The Malaysian Bar has reiterated its call for such a body to be established, following recent deaths in policy custody.

Mah said the committee will take into consideration the recommendations made in 2005, and see how “objections play out in response”.

Asked about possible resistance by police to the creation of the oversight body, Vohrah said: “We’ll have a look at it and see why there is such a reluctance. We will interview these people… (ask them to) come and speak to us.

“Let’s see how they are going to deal with it, and whether they are going to accept it now or reject it.

“But, we’ll have to look at what they have to say, and we have to look at the laws if they think it will impede the way they are doing this. But let’s look at the challenges as they come.” – May 16, 2018.