Cops lead with most number of public complaints

 

SHAH ALAM, June 19 — The police top the list with the most number of public complaints among all enforcement agencies, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (SIAP) revealed today.

SIAP CEO Nor Afizah Hanum Mokhtar said today that since the commission's inception on April 1, 2011, reports of police misconduct accounted for 120 of the 171 complaints filed by the public.

"This is followed by JPJ (Road Transport Department) with seven complaints, the Housing and Local Government Ministry with seven, Customs with five, and Immigration with five," Nor Afizah said, adding other agencies with complaints against them included the National Registration Department (JPN) and civilian volunteer corps Rela.

“Out of the 120 (police) complaints, nine have been referred to the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and 15 have been referred to their own disciplinary board.”

SIAP chairman Datuk Heliliah Mohd Yusof explained it was not under the commission’s jurisdiction to prosecute offenders, but only to make recommendations to the respective agencies.

“The process involved is that we will receive these reports, then a select committee will look into it before submitting it to the commission, which will then have another stage of inquiry,” she said.

“After an investigation and if we find a breach, we will then refer it to their respective department for discipline,” she added.

If “recommendations are made and no disciplinary action is taken”, Heliliah said her commission would “bring the case up to the Attorney-General’s office”.

“The A-G must listen to us. He cannot close the case,” she said.

“If he closes the case without listening, it means the A-G is not doing his job” she added.

Heliliah said the commission’s intention was to make offenders accountable for their action, “not to prosecute”.

“The commission is to provide an avenue for citizens to take action against enforcement officers who do not uphold their duties,” she said, calling for “more to step up, including those from the department itself”.

“When these people are bold and brave enough to come forward, then only we will see results.”