Sunday, December 16, 2007

Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC Bill

Urgent: Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC Bill

Sorry for this last minute announcement, but only got the details recently:

Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC (Special Complaints Commission) Bill
Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Monday, 17th December
7.30 pm

You can get more details from DAP Members of Parliament of Federal Territory, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (Kepong), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Tan Kok Wai (Cheras), Teresa Kok (Seputeh) or with Lau Weng San - 016 3231563 or DAP officials in Federal
Territory/Selangor.

Important note: This summary was done in a hurry due to very short notification and I do not vouch for its accuracy. You are adviced to do your own research to verify the authenticity of anything published in the summary below or hear it directly from Tunku Aziz, Param, Malik and Ragunath whom I was told had confirmed their attendance for tomorrow's Emergency Public Consultation on Special Complaints Commission or what some had been reported to be a "fake IPCMC Bill":

Update 17 December 2007: A report had been published in theSun, "News without border", page 6. according to the report, the first reading of the Special Compliants Bill 2007 (nicknamed "False IPCMC Bill" I think by Yang Berhormat Lim Kit Siang) was tabled in the Parliament on Thursday (I assume last week, 13 December 2007, looks like an unlucky date for Malaysia) which caught many NGOs by surprised and also aghast by what they considered a very significant deviation (my own words, I think they were reported as veered away) from the original recommendations of the Royal Commission. Further, it put into further doubt regarding a response from an Member of Parliament of my Constituency that before any bill or proposal is tabled in the Parliament, they have to go through a long process of consultations with Cabinet members, NGOs, stakeholders, etc. This process of long consultations also apparently did not take placed when the proposed amendment to the Constitution (a very sacred document which should not be tampered with unless it is critical and absolutely necessary) to extend the retirement age of the Chairperson of the Election Commission of Malaysia from 65 to 66 (some say so that the current Chairperson, Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, will still be Chairperson of the Malaysia Election Commission for the impending election).

When I heard of the proposed amendment (already passed I supposed with all Barisan MPs voting for it as otherwise, they would no longer be Barisan MPs), I immediately requested an urgent appointment with the Member of Parliament who have kindly granted me that appointment. When I asked how long the process of consultations was and who or what NGOs were consulted, the Member of Parliament said that the Member of Parliament was only referring to the MP's own Ministry. This issue of long consultations before any proposals of bill in the Parliament cropped up when I asked how can any Barisan Member of Parliament are under the whip at all time to vote for any proposals that came from the Executive and against any proposals from the Oppositions, irrespective of merits and irrespective of the interest of the voters of the Barisan MP's Constituency.

The SCC (Special Complaints Commission) body proposed to replace the suggested
Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) in 2005 (a long 2 years ago) has been described as "watered down" and 3 members of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission has come out in public complaining that the crucial recommendation made by the royal commission on the police force two years ago had been considered "redundant". They are the Royal Police Commission Chairman, Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and members Tunku Aziz and Lee Lam Thye.

Tun Mohamed Dzaiddin I was told said he was "very disappointed" as the SSB (Special Complaints Commission) was not what the Royal Police Commission had asked for, and I was told had further added: "The government, in its wisdom, did not accept the core recommendation of an independent oversight body."

I was also told that Tunku Aziz said: "The whole purpose was to ensure that not only were the police protected against unfair criticism and allegations but also that there would be a return of public confidence in an organization that had lost it. If the new bill is watered down, obviously we are not going to achieve this purpose."

I was also told that Lee Lam Thye said: "The IPCMC was meant to be an independent body to deal with police misconduct, abuse of power and corruption. I did not expect it to be watered down. At this point, it would be best to leave it to parliament, with the hope that proper debate and discussion will be carried out. MPs need to be aware of the original objective. My fear is that the new bill may not serve its purpose."