Recently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi declared that the establishment of the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) was "not in line with the Federal Constitution" and was therefore unconstitutional. As far as the Federal Constitution is concerned, the police force – just like the armed forces and other branches of the civil service – is part of the federal public service. As such, the police force is not an independent authority; it is part of the executive that in turn is subject to the laws passed by Parliament. Therefore, the police force is not in a position to issue ultimatums to the government. In fact, those who really understand the essence of the Federal Constitution – that seeks to put limits on governmental powers and protects the rights of ordinary citizens – would welcome the creation of the IPCMC. In the bigger scheme of things, one has to remember that the Federal Constitution basically espouses the democratic ideals that form the benchmark for the administration of the country. That is why we call ourselves a constitutional democracy. In such a polity, it is the people – through their elected representatives in Parliament – who determine the way the country is to be governed. And these include the type of police force they want as well as how much power to be given to this law enforcement agency.
Posted on: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 02:27:25 +0000
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