THE Dewan Rakyat will tomorrow debate a parliamentary select committee’s findings on the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), said Liew Vui Keong, despite calls for a delay.

“Parliament Special Select Committee for the Consideration of Bills chairman Ramkarpal Singh will table his report to be debated in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow,” the de facto law minister told a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

“After that debate, Ramkarpal will conduct the winding-up debate.”

It will be the first time a non-minister MP conducts the winding-up debate, as well as the first time Parliament debates a select committee’s report on a new bill.

Lawmakers will vote on the bill after the debate, said Liew.

“I will then table the bill for the third reading (committee stage) if the bill is passed. There are now 37 changes (13 additional changes from the select committee).”

He said this has never been done before, adding that it is a continuation of the parliamentary process after the bill was referred to the select committee midway into its second reading in October.

On October 7, the Dewan Rakyat decided to refer the IPCMC bill to the select committee after lawmakers from both sides of the divide complained about not being given enough time to debate it.

This followed a move to make 24 changes to the bill before it was brought to the committee stage.

The bill, originally drafted by a royal commission of inquiry to improve the police force in 2005, was rejected by the previous Barisan Nasional government.

BN introduced a defanged oversight body, called the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission, instead.

IPCMC was mooted again after Pakatan Harapan won the general election last year.

Among police’s concerns is that IPCMC would not only get to investigate complaints on members of the force, but also mete out punishment.

Civil society activists have been pushing hard for its formation following cases of abuse and death in custody, and lack of accountability by cops, with the “enforced disappearance” of pastor Raymond Koh and Perlis Hope activist Amri Che Mat cited as examples.

The Special Select Committee for the Consideration of Bills is led by Ramkarpal (PH-Bukit Gelugor). Its other members are Rusnah Aluai (PH-Tangga Batu), Su Keong Siong (PH-Kampar), Larry Sng (PH-Julau), Wilfred Madius Tangau (Upko-Tuaran), Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) and Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (GPS-Santubong). – December 2, 2019.