A second group of demonstrators held court outside Parliament today demanding the government move to establish the long-awaited Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) without further delay.
Also numbering about 40 people, similar to an earlier group of anti-Rome Statute demonstrators, the second group arrived at Parliament gates about 11.20am, after marching some 2km from Padang Merbok with their banner and handwritten cardboard placards.
The small number of demonstrators comprised representatives of some 50 non-governmental organisations, including Eliminating Death in Custody Together (Edict), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), the Bar Council Task Force on IPCMC, Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham), Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia (Ikram), and Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (Caged).
“The IPCMC must be quickly set up so that police who have abused their power can be immediately investigated,” Khalid Ismath, a representative from Edict, told reporters.
He said the demonstrators included some 10 representatives from families of people who died while in police custody, as well as several ruling MPs.
The activists remind the government of four high-profile cases of alleged police misconduct in a bid to push for the establishment of the IPCMC.
The four incidents are:
- the assault which left a black eye on Anwar Ibrahim by then inspector-general of police Rahim Noor in 1998;
- the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006;
- and the alleged abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat in 2017 and 2016 respectively, which the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) claim was a case of “enforced disappearance” committed by police personnel.
“Going back to even the black eye (incident) involving Anwar. Anwar was punched by the IGP.
“How can you investigate the IGP? Which policeman dares to investigate the IGP?
“Similarly, on how Altantuya was killed by UTK personnel,” PSM central committee member S Arutchelvan said.
“Now, Suhakam has made claimed that the police Special Branch is involved in the kidnappings (of Koh and Amri)…so, clearly we need an independent commission.”
Arutchelvan, who cited concerns that the police themselves had recently submitted a memorandum against setting up of the IPCMC, also claimed there would be an obvious resistance to such a move.
“We hope the promises that the Harapan government has given, prior to the general election, for the formation of the IPCMC will be upheld, will be kept, and the IPCMC will be a reality in this country,” said lawyer G Visvanathan, who spoke on behalf of the Gabungan Tuntut IPCMC, which is backed by about 50 NGOs.
“For so long, police have been left to their own devices.
“They have been doing all their acts with impunity and disregarded proper procedures,” he claimed.
“So, it is time. It is way past the time for the formation of the IPCMC. We are very glad we have so many MPs who are with us in solidarity for this purpose.”
The memorandum was received by five MPs led by Nibong Tebal MP Mansoor Othman, who is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Defence and Home Affairs.
Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah told reporters outside Parliament that she would raise their demands with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who is chairperson of the caucus on reforms and governance committee.
With less than a week left for this current session of Parliament, Maria conceded that the matter would most likely be addressed only in the next sitting, which will begin on July 1.
“The Pakatan Harapan government will fulfil the promise to set up the IPCMC.
“I also personally promise to continue campaigning until we get the IPCMC,” Maria said.
Among others, the group’s memorandum highlighted that there were 257 death-in-custody cases between 2002 and 2016, with more likely having gone unreported.
Earlier, a group of about people assembled at the gates of Parliament demanding the removal of Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Attorney-General Tommy Thomas from their posts.
The demonstrators held up placards that all had the common theme of the Rome Statute printed on them. Among the messages in Malay were calls to: “Sack the AG”, “Tommy Thomas Cheater. Traitor to the Conference of Rulers”.
The demonstrators claimed that the removal of the minister and the A-G were necessary as the duo had previously supported the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), and recently, asked the government to sign the Rome Statute.
“NGOs and the people of Malaysia have lost their faith in Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and the Attorney-General because they don’t have the heart to look after the sovereignty of the Malaysian constitution,” read a memorandum carried by several of the demonstrators.
Their memorandum was signed by Malaysian Youth Activist Muhd Farwan Khairuddin, Kelab Belia Mahasiswa Bangi member Azroy Azri and Mushin Abdul Latheet from Persatuan Kebajikan Surplus.