PUTRAJAYA must pay attention to police welfare apart from pushing through a complaints and misconduct commission to improve the force’s ethics and integrity, Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said today.

He said police welfare had been among the recommendations highlighted in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the police force in 2005.

“Besides the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill which will be brought to Parliament, we hope the government will think of the welfare issues (of the police force), as what was presented by the RCI in 2005. 

“There were 125 recommendations (by the RCI) but a lot of things involving PDRM’s welfare were not given attention,” he told a press conference after the Police Excellent Service Awards 2018 in Bukit Aman today. 

The RCI was established in the wake of outcry over custodial deaths and alleged human rights abuses by the force.

The RCI has recommended the setting up of IPCMC to have independent handling of complaints involving the police. 

The proposal did not materialise and amid pushback by the force, an Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) with lesser powers was established instead.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced in September last year that IPCMC would replace EAIC.

Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong said the government will table the bill for IPCMC in the first Parliament meeting this year, to begin next Monday, in line with Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto to overcome matters concerning police integrity. 

Fuzi also said police had engaged with all necessary parties to suggest proposals to the government on laws that should be amended or abolished in the upcoming Parliament session.  

He said among those involved in the discussion are the national leadership of the police force, state police chiefs and retired members of the force.

“If we think some suggestions are not suitable, we will present proposals to the government that we think should be taken into consideration,” he said. – March 6, 2019.