'Improve EAIC to reduce custodial deaths'
Nigel AwPublished: Jul 15, 2013 8:40 AM | Updated: Jul 15, 2013 9:02 AM
PARLIAMENT If Pakatan Rakyat is serious about addressing the issue of custodial deaths, it should focus on improving the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) rather than harp on replacing this with the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
PARLIAMENT If Pakatan Rakyat is serious about addressing the issue of custodial deaths, it should focus on improving the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) rather than harp on replacing this with the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
Razali Ibrahim (right), a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said this during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) who pointed out that the incidence of custodial deaths has been increasing even after the EAIC was set up.
"If we are serious about this matter - which has nothing to do with whether it is the EAIC or IPCMC - and increase the number of officers and investigators, I believe it will contribute to what you have raised," replied Razali.
He reiterated the government's stance against the creation of an IPCMC and maintained that the EAIC is an "improvement" of the IPCMC because it oversees 19 enforcement agencies instead of just the police force.
"The EAIC only has 27 officers now. We should be asking for more officers and not for the EAIC to be replaced. For example, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has 2,500 officers and 450 investigators, and operates with a budget of RM271 million.
"The EAIC only has 27 officers and six investigators and has to oversee 19 agencies. The government is bringing in 49 more staff with the same budget.”
Since the commission was created on April 1, 2011, he said, it has received 469 complaints.
Of these, 233 were investigated and 190 were rejected because the cases did not fall under its jurisdiction.
Of the total, 40 complaints have been investigated and referred to the MACC or disciplinary bodies for further action, while 115 are still being investigated, he added.
Razali Ibrahim (right), a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said this during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.He was responding to a supplementary question from Siti Mariah Mahmud (PAS-Kota Raja) who pointed out that the incidence of custodial deaths has been increasing even after the EAIC was set up.
"If we are serious about this matter - which has nothing to do with whether it is the EAIC or IPCMC - and increase the number of officers and investigators, I believe it will contribute to what you have raised," replied Razali.
He reiterated the government's stance against the creation of an IPCMC and maintained that the EAIC is an "improvement" of the IPCMC because it oversees 19 enforcement agencies instead of just the police force.
"The EAIC only has 27 officers now. We should be asking for more officers and not for the EAIC to be replaced. For example, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has 2,500 officers and 450 investigators, and operates with a budget of RM271 million."The EAIC only has 27 officers and six investigators and has to oversee 19 agencies. The government is bringing in 49 more staff with the same budget.”
Since the commission was created on April 1, 2011, he said, it has received 469 complaints.
Of these, 233 were investigated and 190 were rejected because the cases did not fall under its jurisdiction.
Of the total, 40 complaints have been investigated and referred to the MACC or disciplinary bodies for further action, while 115 are still being investigated, he added.
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