PRESS RELEASE: Movement towards a better police force
Friday, 07 April 2006 11:58pm
The Prime Minister and the Government have, in the past two years, taken the commendable first step towards reform, by setting up two Commissions of Inquiry to look into the conduct and practices of the police.
The first Commission conducted thorough and intensive studies over a period of 15 months, and produced a comprehensive report detailing 125 recommendations, which are sound and balanced. They cover not only issues of police conduct, but also their terms of service and welfare. Among these recommendations is one regarding the formation of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
The second Commission dealt with a specific area of police conduct, i.e. in relation to body searches. Among the observations made is that the particular conduct complained of would not have occurred if the recommendations of the first Commission had been timeously adopted and implemented. The second Commission also re-iterated the importance of the IPCMC.
Our nation must do justice to the good work performed by the 2 Commissions, by implementing all their major recommendations. The fact that both Commissions have repeated the need for an IPCMC speaks volumes of its importance in a process of reform.
Reform is what we need, and what we must have, if our nation does not wish to see the situation further deteriorates. Reform cannot be achieved by insisting on the old ways that have obviously failed to prevent the problems that we are currently having.
An IPCMC is an essential part of the much-needed reform. The old way of relying on the police's internal mechanism to check abuse has proven, here and elsewhere, to be both unreliable and ineffective, not to mention non-transparent and ill-accountable. The Malaysian public knows that things, as they are, are not fine. Hence, the public will not accept that things will be fine if we continue with the same old ways.
Initial reception by the police to the Commissions' recommendations had been positive. The IGP on 18 February 2006 in fact said that failure to put into action the Commissions' proposals would be disrespectful to the Government.
Unfortunately, reluctance to change and opposition to the IPCMC has developed within the police force, who have not only openly opposed the proposal, but also lobbied many parliamentarians to oppose the same.
Such opposition to the IPCMC, in the Bar Council's view, grew from misinformation and misunderstanding of the true nature and purpose of the IPCMC. The Bar Council will organise a public debate and forum on this subject, and will invite participation from the police and members of parliament, among others.
The Bar Council will also, starting today, initiate a movement towards a better police force, and invite organisations and individuals from all levels of society (the very persons whom the police is there to serve) to join in our effort to support and encourage positive changes and reform of the police force.
TWO CULTURES? written by Stephen Tan Ban Cheng,
Saturday, April 08 2006 10:43 pm
There appears to be TWO cultures operating - one within the police force and one outside it.
If this is so, then we can explain why the three police-related organisations are against the idea of the IPCMC.
But that still DOES NOT justify our not having the IPCMC.
If the police who serve society have one culture and that society has another culture, and if both cultures are contradictory, as they should be otherwise the need for two cultures does not arise, then it means that something is wrong, very wrong.
Somethjing is very rotten in Denmark.
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The Prime Minister and the Government have, in the past two years, taken the commendable first step towards reform, by setting up two Commissions of Inquiry to look into the conduct and practices of the police.
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There appears to be TWO cultures operating - one within the police force and one outside it.
If this is so, then we can explain why the three police-related organisations are against the idea of the IPCMC.
But that still DOES NOT justify our not having the IPCMC.
If the police who serve society have one culture and that society has another culture, and if both cultures are contradictory, as they should be otherwise the need for two cultures does not arise, then it means that something is wrong, very wrong.
Somethjing is very rotten in Denmark.