Police deputy head honcho guns down IPCMC

Deputy inspector-general of police Mohd Bakri Zinin has poured cold water on renewed calls for the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to keep his men in check following a string of deaths in custody.

"The laws are already there. The EAIC (Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission) is already there.
"There is no point in discussing the IPCMC," he was reported as saying by The Star Online today.

Mohd Bakri (left) was quoted as saying that the existing laws were already stronger than the IPCMC, and should be enforced .

However, he acknowledged weaknesses in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in lock-ups and promised that the force will improve on it.
‘Suicides cannot be ruled out’

Meanwhile according to Bernama, Mohd Bakri said the possibility that deaths in custody were self inflicted could not be ruled out.

"Often those detained are emotional and suicide attempts by hitting their heads against the wall cannot be ruled out.

“We cannot prevent such things but we will endeavour lockups are safe to use," he said.     

He said the deaths should therefore not be attributed to the mistakes and carelessness of the police and be claimed to involve certain communities only.   

Mohd Bakri said the police was formulating a strategy to enforce the existing regulations and standard operating procedure (SOP) and overcoming weaknesses to ensure such incidents could be reduced. 
He said, police would also look at the need to cooperate in certain matters with the related agencies such as the Health Ministry and non-government organisations so that police could carry out their duties properly and in an orderly manner.

The EAIC which lacks prosecution powers is a watered down version of the IPCMC recommended in 2005 by a royal commission of inquiry on improving the police force.

In first of half of this year alone there have been nine custodial deaths year alone, with the most serious being that of N Dhamendran who was believed to have been tortured as 52 injuries were found on his body.

His case has been classified the case as murder and on June 5 three police officers were charged with the offence for, a fourth police officer involved in is on the run.