Musa should stop all double-talk and sophistry and come out clearly in full support of IPCMC provided there is an appeal mechanism

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Speech by
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliment, Friday) :  The new Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan has expressed disappointment with certain newspapers for alleging that he was against the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), describing their reports as �mischievous and very unprofessional�.

It is fortunate that the official news agency Bernama also carried such a report or the newspapers would be in big trouble for trying to smear his reputation and standing.

For instance, Wednesday�s Bernama report quoted Musa as saying that some of the proposals regarding the  IPCMC were hindering the police from doing their duties and he would not allow police to be treated unfairly, with the statement: "You want to tie our hands, we will not allow you to tie our hands."

Musa was reported  saying that  currently there were already four bodies acting as watchdogs for the force such as RMP Disciplinary Division, Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM), Public Complaints Bureau and the Police Commission headed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Internal Security Minister.

He said the four bodies were already more than adequate to ensure the force toe the line while performing their duties.

Musa should stop all double-talk and sophistry and come out clearly in full support of IPCMC provided there is an appeal mechanism.

It is precisely because the four bodies allegedly able to act as watchdogs for the police were unable to ensure that the police force �toe the line while performing their duties that the first thing Abdullah did when becoming Prime Minister was to establish the Royal Police Commission which came out with 125 recommendations to create an incorruptible, efficient, professional world-class police service.

As stated by the Royal Police Commission Report, �the Commission was initiated by the Government amidst widespread concerns regarding the high incidence of crime, perception of corruption in the Royal Malaysian Police, general dissatisfaction with the conduct and performance of the police personnel, and a desire to see improvements in the service provided by the police�.

If the four bodies mentioned by Musa had been able to ensure that there is an incorruptible and human rights-sensitive police service capable of ensuring low crime rate in the country, then it would not have been necessary to establish the Royal Police Commission in the first place.

Musa is therefore doing himself whether as the new IGP or the police force no service in trotting out an argument which cannot stand up to the most superficial examination or scrutiny.

The question is whether Musa is going to take a pro-active stand to support the establishment of IPCMC, forwarding  proposals of  police ideas on  such an external oversight mechanism to uphold the highest police professional standards and to  check on police wrongdoings and abuses of power, or whether he will continue the previous leadership stance of basically supporting efforts to frustrate and sabotage the  establishment of  the IPCMC.

As a professional and responsible IGH, he should do the former. In fact, he should express his concern at the long delay on the part of the Attorney-General Chambers to submit final proposals for the establishment of the IPCMC, especially when the Royal Police Commission had taken the pains to draft an IPCMC bill.

Is Musa prepared to give full support for the enactment of the IPCMC Act by Parliament before the end of the current budget meeting in the second week of  December this year?

(15/09/2006)