Retain EAIC to monitor all agencies, says group
PETALING
JAYA: A group campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty has
called for the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission to be retained
instead of being replaced by the Independent Police Complaints and
Misconduct Commission.
The group, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture, said the EAIC is still very much needed.
Unlike the IPCMC which only deals with complaints about the police,
the EAIC is empowered to deal with complaints about almost all other
enforcement agencies, such as the Immigration Department, housing and
local government ministry, Labour Department and the Road Transport
Department.
The group said that statistics of complaints received showed that many agencies other than the police were the subjects.
It went on to cite the incident of toxic pollution in Pasir Gudang,
Johor, and the deaths of two factory workers in Selangor from exposure
to ammonia in 2018, which it said indicated the failings of many of
government and enforcement agencies.
“The EAIC is very much still needed, and its powers should also be
extended to prosecution. The scope of agencies covered by the EAIC
should also be extended, including to maybe cover also the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission, the Prison Department and even the Election
Commission,” it said in a statement.
The group suggested the Bill to set up IPCMC be amended to give the
commission the power to prosecute, “and not merely the power to
discipline”.
The bill is scheduled to be debated at the next Dewan Rakyat meeting in October.
The group questioned the lack of action taken by the government on
enquiries conducted by EAIC in the past, and said all such government
commissions, including Suhakam, EAIC and the future IPCMC should have
prosecution powers.
“The lack of action by the Attorney-General and the
government will only dampen the commitment of such Commissions,” the
group said.- FMT, 11/8/2019
See full statement at
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