Yes, No, Err…We are undecided (and divided)

Sunday, April 9:

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz says the Malaysian government has decided to set up an ombudsman to tackle all complaints against authorities, including ministers.

He said the government found that the ombudsman would have a wider scope than the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). He added the Cabinet felt the IPCMC would unfairly punish the police force as a whole, when only a small minority was involved in abuse of power and corruption.

He also said that the government has rejected the idea of the IPCMC.

(sources: local media)


Monday, April 10:

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Najib Razak both denied the ombudsman plan. They said that it was still being discussed in the cabinet and being studied by the AG Chambers.

Najib said the government was also looking into other options besides the proposed ombudsman.

Abdullah also said the government has not discarded the IPCMC proposal and that he would be making a decision soon.

(sources: local media)


Tuesday, April 11:

The public is puzzled. They are wondering what is happening in the cabinet. How can one minister announce something one day, just to be denied by his boss the next day. Was Nazri sitting in the same cabinet meeting as Abdullah and Najib? Or was he just trying to show himself as the champion of the people, announcing new measures that he knows will be popular?

But then again, would such an ombudsman come under his portfolio? What is he in the cabinet – a minister in charge of parliamentary affairs. Would he have the inside knowledge of how the government in thinking? He should. After all he is a senior minister (without any serious portfolio, no doubt).

My thinking is that the government is not keen on the IPCMC proposal at all. Abdullah, who is also the home minister in charge of the police, is not keen to hurt the feelings of the boys in uniform.

That being the case, he is looking into some other options but sadly for him before he could fully equip himself about the alternative plan, Nazri has opened his mouth and revealed it all, taking the spotlight from the premier.

I predict that the ombudsman plan will be back on track real soon. Abdullah himself will announce it, saying that it is much better than the IPCMC as it covers a wider area. And he will give us many reasons why the IPCMC will not be a success if implemented.

The next question the public will be thinking is as to who will be the political appointee to become the country’s first ombudsman.


Background

Two Royal Commissions have recommended the IPCMC to look into the police misconduct. The civil society agrees that such an independent commission is needed to keep the police on guard. Even the government backbenchers are up for it. However the government is quite hesitant to set up such an independent commission as it fears it would affect police morale. After all, the government claims, only a handful of police personnel are rotten. The IPCMC is perceived to be too much of a threat to the authorities, the police union rejects it and thus the plans for an alternative.