Fake IPCMC Bill consultation tonight – will anybody be there?
Will anybody come for the Emergency Public Consultation on the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) Bill - the fake Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill – at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall auditorium tonight, December 17, 2007 at 7.30 pm?
Or will there be an empty hall?
Half of me was telling me that it was foolhardy to convene such a Public Consultation at such short notice, with only two days’ notice – and a weekend to boot –with minimal or non-existent mainstream media publicity and that one possibility is a virtual empty auditorium.
This will be grist in the mill of those who will claim that there is no public concern or support for IPCMC and that Malaysians are quite happy with SCC proposal.
The other half of me felt that there is no choice and the risks must be taken to convene a Public Consultation at such short notice because of the great importance to provide an opportunity for the public and civil society to express their views on the SCC Bill – not only because the IPCMC proposal is the most critical of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission for police reform to create an efficient, accountable, incorruptible, professional world-class police service but also because of the endemic crime which has haunted Malaysians and the country since publication of the Royal Police Commission Report 19 months ago.
Two-day notice falling during a weekend is not the only problem in making a success of the Emergency Public Consultation on the SCC Bill – it is also the end-of-the-year with many taking or preparing their year-end holidays.
I tried to phone Tun Musa Hitam to invite him to do the honours of opening the Public Consultation and found great difficulties in getting his contact number during the weekend, only to be told that he has just gone overseas and would not be back until next year.
Many members of the Royal Police Commission are either overseas or will be outstation and these include Datuk Dr. Michael Yeoh and Dr. Denis Jayasooria. Several others whom I have invited as panelists to the Public Consultation will be outstation and they include Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam and Yeo Yang Poh.
I have spoken to former Inspector-General of Police who was Deputy Chairman of the Royal Police Commission, Tun Hanif Omar, and Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who have kept the possibility of their attendance open. I (and I believe Malaysians) hope to see them at the Public Consultation tonight.
I have not been able to contact all the Royal Police Commission members as I do not have their contact, like Tun Dzaiddin and Tun Salleh Abas.
You can give me their contact numbers, or invite them on behalf of Malaysians. There is an Open Invitation to all members of the Royal Commission and to all NGOs and NGIs, and I say: Come One Come All to give your views on the fake IPCMC Bill.
Lets see whether there is going to be an empty auditorium tonight.
December 17th, 2007 at 10: 44.11
“Lets see whether there is going to be an empty auditorium tonight.”
If I were a juror about to deliver a verdict and after listening to the judge instructing me on the meaning of ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’, I would say there would be an empty auditorium.
December 17th, 2007 at 10: 46.18
But of course I could be the only juror to deliver that verdict. There are eleven others.
December 17th, 2007 at 11: 30.31
Wow..if you cant get the important people to listen to the dissatisfaction..then that might be a bit hard to be effective. You able to do a quick poll on your blog or on Malaysia Today? If you can collect a quick poll, it might give you more info on to make a better decision.
December 17th, 2007 at 12: 21.14
[…] Emergency Public Consultation on fake IPCMC Bill 16Dec07 Â From Lim Kit Siang: […]
December 17th, 2007 at 13: 09.19
In the last month, within 5 min walking distance in of my house, there have been
1) Stabbing of a teen for a piece of jewelry
2) At least two extortion of joggers in the morning.
3) At least two cars broken into.
4) A burgalry
5) A laptop and handheld organizer/phone stolen
This meeting should go on even if its just for the public to vent frustration.
December 17th, 2007 at 14: 08.01
Show of support. I will be there.
December 17th, 2007 at 14: 17.29
YB,
Police is there to protect and maintain the peace and security right?
If people want to have a rally, they need to get a police permit I believe.
On the Nov 25th rally, the police denied the permit and then they went one step further. They went to the courts to get an order making the gathering an illegal assembly. Something does not seem right here.
If a member of the public went and made a police report and then went to the courts to get the gathering ruled as illegal, I would be able to understand it. But this was done by the police and no one highlights this fact. Do they accept these acts?
And anyway, if a member of the public did so, it would take him time to get the order from the court. How were the police able to move mountains in such a short space of time?
Anyway, for the police to be the ones to issue the approval for the gathering and for them to be the ones to go to court to get it declared as an illegal assembly does not seem right, when it was a peaceful gathering.
Why are there no publicity of the gross abuse of power by the police on 25th Nov? Were correct procedures followed? Did the police decieve those assembled by their deeds and words?
Was correct procedure used in discharging the chemical laced water and tear gas canisters?
Why nothing? But I guess, without a proper IPCMC bill, nothing can be done anyway. With the SCC, they will just shoooo all the reports away.
December 17th, 2007 at 14: 20.32
I will try my best to make it.
December 17th, 2007 at 15: 38.14
i will be there.
December 17th, 2007 at 16: 38.09
I just cancelled my flight to KK to be there tonight.
December 17th, 2007 at 16: 54.27
I’ll be there
December 17th, 2007 at 18: 33.03
Dear Friends,
GET READY, THE PARLIAMENT WILL BE DISOLVED NEXT WEEK .
PROOF TO BN THAT THE PEOPLE ARE INCHARGE .
December 17th, 2007 at 21: 20.47
“On the Nov 25th rally, the police denied the permit and then they went one step further. They went to the courts to get an order making the gathering an illegal assembly. Something does not seem right here.” lakshy
It would make sense if there is a right of judicial review of the police decision not to issue the permit. Otherwise it was a case of putting one more nail into the coffin when the coffin has been closed shut and nailed and ready to be moved.
Is there a right of judicial review here?
December 17th, 2007 at 21: 41.52
“Was correct procedure used in discharging the chemical laced water and tear gas canisters?†lakshy
If they have the evidence to prove it, victims who suffered because of the gas and the chemical-laced water through their indiscriminate use could initiate legal action against the police for damages. It is not going to be easy because those who were there had earlier been warned and had ignored police warnings. The refusal of a police permit meant that the assembly was not legal and those injured were participants of an illegal assembly. If the matter were to go to court the balancing of private and public interest would mean that litigants would be wasting their time and money pursuing claims which are lost before they are even adjudicated.
Do you have evidence to prove that the police were guilty of criminal negligence in the use of dangerous substances when doing crowd control?
December 18th, 2007 at 00: 14.36
[…] hall was packed this evening, surprisingly, and the attendees reached a unanimous decision to defer the debate on the Special […]
December 18th, 2007 at 01: 36.03
COol..was it a success then?
December 18th, 2007 at 09: 17.40
Kit,
Last night when you asked who was the one that cancelled his flight to attend, sorry i did not acknowledge. Was shy. Not used to standing up in a big crowd.
But anyway, I agree with that guy who called you ‘Datuk Seri’. You have sacrificed tremendously for the nation. You are more than a Datuk Seri in our hearts.
God bless you, Kit.
[Most appreciated. Hope we can meet up very soon. - kit]