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They said it was necessary to ensure that the IPCC functions as intended given the commission’s limited jurisdiction for investigation and enforcement.
“The IPCC is unable to conduct searches and seizures, as well as make unannounced visits to police lockups.
“Therefore, it is imperative to conduct a periodic review of the commission’s performance and effectiveness, with the findings tabled in Parliament every two years,” Suaram’s Wong Yan Ke said at a press conference here.
Wong said the statement was backed by more than 50 CSOs, including Bersih, Tenaganita, Sisters in Islam and the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), as well as Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
He said the CSOs also want the government to set up IPCC offices in every state to enable “better access to justice”.
In 2020, the IPCC Bill was introduced to replace the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill tabled by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in 2019.
The IPCC Bill, described by critics as a watered-down version of the IPCMC Bill, was passed in July 2023 during the tenure of the Ismail Sabri Yaakob government.
Wong also claimed that there had been a surge in police misconduct cases in the country recently. He said this has contributed to a “trust deficit” between the public and the police.
“The IPCC can rebuild the public’s confidence by providing regular updates on the status of its probe into these police misconduct cases as it will boost transparency,” he added.
Wong said the CSOs are also hoping to meet with the members of the IPCC soon in order to explore ways to improve the commission and build a police force that is “accountable, trusted, and respected.”
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