What is the EAIC and why it is important to society?

The commissioners’ line-up for the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) is now complete with the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to the appointment of three new commissioners recently.

What is the EAIC?

• The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) is a Federal Statutory Body established under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009 [Act 700] which came to effect on April 1, 2011.

• The Commission aims to inculcate and enhance integrity among enforcement officers and law enforcement agencies.

What is its function?

• to receive complaints of misconduct from the public against an enforcement officer/ enforcement agency.

• to put in place mechanisms for the detection, investigation and prevention of misconduct by an enforcement officer.

• to protect the intersect of the public by preventing and dealing with misconduct of an enforcement officer.

• to audit and monitor operations and procedures of an enforcement agency

• to promote awareness and education relating to integrity within an enforcement agency

• to assist the government in formulating legislation and administrative measures in the promotion of integrity

• to study and verify any infringement of enforcement procedures and to make any necessary recommendations

• to conduct site visits to the premises of an enforcement agency.

Who are the commissioners?

Members of the Commission is appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice of the Prime Minister.

They are:

• Former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan (Chairman)

• Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Ali (Vice Chairman)

• Public Services Commission chairman Tan Sri Mahmood Adam

• Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Dato’ Aziah Ali

• Federal Court Judge Dato’ Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin

• Former High Court judge Dato’ John Louis O’Hara

• International Islamic University Malaysia legal adviser Prof. Dr. Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod

Membership is for a term not exceeding three years and members are not allowed to the post for more than two consecutive periods.

Why is it important?

The EAIC ensures that integrity is upheld throughout the country’s enforcement agencies.

It does so by firstly tracking complaints that were sent in. To date, EAIC has registered a total of 789 complaints from various enforcement agencies. The highest number comes from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) with 463 complaints.

The EAIC has also done quite a number of investigations with recently having completed a probe into the actions of a Macau Scam syndicate suspect and online gambling who escaped through the back fence of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building in Putrajaya on October 11.

Besides complaints and investigations, it has done site visits and enforcement agencies and perform audit duties, particularly in detention centres to ensure that rules and work ethics in their day-to-day management are complied with.

What about the IPCMC?

Among the 125 recommendations proposed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry is to set up an independent body called the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) following an increase of deaths in detention and alleged police brutality over past years.

The agency’s objective is to focus on improving police efficiency and ensure that it remains as a respected and formidable enforcement body.

The idea was proposed in part due to the limited power the EAIC has, seeing it could only recommend further actions to disciplinary authorities, not to prosecute.

Despite being among Pakatan Harapan's pledges last year, the future of IPCMC is still uncertain as leaders remain divided on the use of functions of the IPCMC.