THE Dewan Rakyat today passed the Independent Police Conduct Commission Bill 2020, which aims to improve integrity, reduce misconduct among police officers and increase public confidence in the security force.

The bill was approved after going through several amendments and improvements. It had been tabled for first reading on August 26, 2020.

Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin, when winding up the debate on the bill, said that there were indeed cases of deaths in the lockup, but it was not due to injuries caused by the police, but rather illnesses faced by detainees.

“I wish to inform you that there are (deaths in the lockup) but it does not mean that it happened due to them (detainees) being beaten and so on,” he said.

According to Hamzah, prisoners died from asthma, HIV, heart disease, liver disease, ulcers and lung disease, while there were also cases of detainees hanging themselves and fighting in the lockup.

Meanwhile, he said the bill focused on the establishment of a body to carry out investigations, while disciplinary actions and punishments would still be vested with the Police Force Commission, in accordance with the existing provisions in article 140 of the Federal Constitution.

“This bill was drafted after comparisons were made with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (United Kingdom) and the Independent Police Complaints Council (Hong Kong).

“Both the independent bodies only exercise powers of investigation into wrongdoing, and the findings will be submitted to the relevant authorities for action,” he said.

The sitting continues tomorrow. – Bernama, July 26, 2022.