In a statement, the human rights NGO said this is to ensure errant officers who had a hand in the deaths of detainees in custody or had assaulted detainees were not given “a free pass”.
This included those responsible for the deaths of S Balamurugan, Syed Mohd Azlan, A Kugan and N Dharmendran, among others.
Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy said over the past decade, the investigative powers of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) — set up by the previous administration to look into complaints on alleged misuse of powers by officers of enforcement agencies — was inadequate.
The lack of any legal powers to compel police to adopt the recommended disciplinary action or to take direct criminal and legal action against errant officers, Sevan said, rendered EAIC as nothing more than a truth commission.
“Even when the truth is delivered, the police and other enforcement agencies have repeatedly proven themselves to be beyond reproach and keen on perpetuating the culture of impunity,” he said in a statement.
The EAIC can only make recommendations to the government and does not have powers to prosecute.
The government, he added, must learn from this mistake and provide IPCMC with the necessary powers to enforce its disciplinary recommendations and initiate criminal or legal action in cases where human rights have been violated or there was abuse of power.
“IPCMC must be able to bring perpetrators of these murders to light and ensure that justice is done for those who perished and their family members who are forced to live with the loss inflicted upon them.”
Earlier, it was reported that the Cabinet had agreed to set up the long-awaited IPCMC.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Department said establishing the IPCMC would strengthen EAIC. The IPCMC will act as an independent and holistic body.
Suaram said the decision to upgrade and upscale the EAIC is the starting point for substantive reforms to ensure the police force is respected by all, instead of being known for human rights violations and suppression of civil liberties.
Meanwhile, police have welcomed the government’s decision to set up the IPCMC, saying it will enhance the integrity and capabilities of the police force.
Bernama reported Deputy Inspector-General of Police Noor Rashid Ibrahim as saying that they were also interested to know how it would be implemented to ensure justice for all.
“Whatever the government, through the Cabinet, decides has taken the interests of all parties into consideration.
“We police have no problems with the implementation, but we will ensure that our members are looked after while giving better service to the community,” he was quoted as saying after closing a futsal tournament today.