Proposed Police Conduct Commission Will Only Shield Officers Says Activist

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An activist says the IPCC Bill fails to deal with complaints about custodial deaths, police misconduct and misuse of power against government critics.PETALING JAYA: The government’s proposed Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) will only be a shield for police officers against scrutiny and independent oversight, says a human rights group.
Instead, the government must establish an independent oversight commission that can investigate alleged police abuse, says Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Katrina Maliamauv.
The independent commission should also make visits to detention centres, and be empowered to act on their findings, she said, ahead of a possible tabling of the IPCC Bill for a second reading in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow.
The bill was first tabled in August 2020.
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She said the IPCC Bill failed to deal with widespread complaints about custodial deaths, police misconduct and misuse of power against government critics.
“If passed, the bill will not promote accountability as claimed by the government, but rather shield police officers from scrutiny and independent oversight. This is why the bill must be rejected,” she said.
The government should also stop enforcing laws such as the Sosma security law which she said violates basic human rights and enables abuses by police.
“Since its enactment in 2021, it is clear that Sosma is a draconian law that has led to arbitrary arrests and detention with no judicial oversight. Instead of extending the 28-day detention provision, the government must instead move to repeal Sosma in its entirety,” she said.
Last week, the Dewan Rakyat approved an extension of a provision that allows for a 28-day detention period. It was previously voted down in March. - FMT

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