In a media statement, Eliminating Deaths & Abuse In Custody Together (EDICT) said it is taking Hamid’s words very seriously.

“Although we are deeply unsettled by this news, we commend the IGP’s bravery in making this public knowledge.”

It also said that it welcomed the openness by Bukit Aman to work with the public to investigate claims of misconduct in its ranks.

“We hope these violations aren’t just settled internally. Members of the force should be held accountable in a court of law, just like any other citizen.”

EDICT said the government can no longer risk delaying an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCMC), which has been in the works for more than a decade.

EDICT urged the Prime Minister’s Department and the home ministry to dedicate themselves to this effort, saying that an IPCMC is their best bet to root out the corruption that plagues Malaysian police.

The NGO added that the IGP and the government must work together to restore the credibility and integrity of the police in the eyes of the people.

“If we (the public) need the police to keep us in check, the police need an external party to do the very same.”

In an interview with Utusan Melayu recently, Hamid vowed to clean up what he called a cartel of dirty cops in the police force.

He said middle-level senior officers in the cartel would promote their accomplices to higher ranks in order to make their “dirty work” easier.

Hamid also promised fair investigations into complaints from the public regarding any wrongdoing by police personnel.