EAIC to stop taking complaints against police from tomorrow as IPCC law takes effect
New Independent Police Conduct Commission comes into force on July 1
PUTRAJAYA – The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) will no longer accept complaints against the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) or its officers starting tomorrow.
This follows PDRM’s removal as a public agency from the schedule under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009 (Act 700) in line with the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022 (Act 839) coming into force tomorrow.
This will create the IPCC, the government’s answer to replacing the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
“EAIC will resolve all complaints and investigations received before July 1, 2023, within a year, until July 1, 2024, in accordance with Section 47 of Act 839,” the EAIC said in a statement, reported by Bernama.
Lawyers and activists have panned the IPCC for being weaker and less independent in probing complaints by police compared to the IPCMC, which was recommended previously by a Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2005 on improving the police force.
The original proposal for the IPCMC was on the cards when the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government was in power in 2019, but it was replaced by new draft legislation for the IPCC by the Perikatan Nasional government.
The current unity government led by PH has not taken up calls for a return to the IPCMC.
Police have resisted the IPCMC due to several issues, among them the disciplinary power that independent commissioners would have over its officers.
The Malaysian Bar previously said the IPCC would be “toothless” in upholding police accountability.
The Bar noted several problematic differences between the IPCC and IPCMC, chiefly that the former can only “recommend” proposed action to the police force commission and the authorities, while the former has its own authority to act against errant officers.
Meanwhile, the EAIC said complaints from the public against police as of July 1, 2023, can be channelled to the Security Division, Home Affairs Ministry, at 03-8886-8526 or 03-8886-8529.
The public can visit the EAIC website for any information or more information related to EAIC.
– The Vibes, June 30, 2023
