EAIC MAKES IT CONVENIENT FOR THE PUBLIC

EAIC Officers go down to the ground to hear your complaints
Kuala Lumpur – Want to make a complaint for non-compliance of SOPs or misconduct or misuse of power by the enforcement officer, but no time to do so? EAIC can send its officers to your place to receive your complaints and gather intelligence.
EAIC’s Chairman, YA Datuk Yaacob emphasizes that complaints by the public can play the role of watchdog so that the enforcement agencies know that they are under EAIC’s surveillance. By having this, it will improve their customer service quality and minimize the problems of breach of SOPs or misconduct or misuse of power by enforcement agencies.
He says some want to make complaints to EAIC, but due to language barrier, reason of no time or reason that they want to save trouble, they have nevertheless failed to do so. As a result of that, that particular enforcement agency or officer will continue to act wrongfully without complying with the SOP.
Complaints can be made in mother tongue
"If the enforcement officer commits a wrongful act (misuse of power), and if you don’t make a complaint, he will continue to misuse the power. Today it could be you; tomorrow it could be someone else. If you complain to us, they will know that EAIC is investigating into it and they will not go against the SOP anymore. Therefore, public awareness is crucial.”
The statements above were made when YA Datuk Yaacob was interviewed by the China Press. He was commenting on the fear by the public to make a complaint against an enforcement officer and the failure to take an initiative to make a complaint against an enforcement officer for non-compliance of SOPs.
He added that even though EAIC has an official Facebook for the public to make complaints by filling up the form online and then to submit it, however due to the difficulty of using language other than own mother tongue, some choose to give up to make complaints about misuse of power by enforcement officers.
“Some are afraid that they could be revenged if making a complaint against the enforcement officers; and some, because of work and business, they choose not to make a complaint. Actually, if you are afraid that you do not have time to make a complaint at our office, we can send our people to your place to gather intelligence and information at your convenience. The identity of the person making complaint will be kept confidential and therefore you don’t need to worry about that you will be revenged.”
Regarding the difficulty of communication in Bahasa Melayu, YA Datuk Yaacob pointed out that EAIC is well-equipped with many officers who can understand Chinese or Tamil, and those officers can assist the people in making a complaint.
“Language barrier shall not be the reason for the public not to make a complaint against non-compliance of SOPs or misuse of power by enforcement officers.”
Social Media Used to Spread Information
YA Datuk Yaacob also pointed out that EAIC keeps abreast with the technology trend by keeping an interaction with the public and spreading information via social media. He said that the EAIC’s official website’s visit number has increased from 27000 (as of Nov 2014) to 307215 (as of now). On the other hand, the number of like on EAIC’s Facebook has increased from 2700 (as of Nov 2014) to 8394 (as of now), and now it has 8367 followers.
“This number shows that the public has started to get to know more about EAIC and the confidence of the public to have contact with us.
He also pointed out that, the EAIC’s Facebook also uploads articles with different languages about integrity, cases of misconduct by enforcement officers so that public gets to know EAIC in depth.
Investigation Outcome to be presented in Parliament
YA Datuk Yaacob jokingly said that comparing with other agencies, EAIC is a ‘real tiger with teeth’. Even though it does not have the power to enforce or to prosecute, its investigation outcomes have earned public recognition. The EAIC’s annual report is to be presented to the Parliament for debate.
He said, EAIC has the power to receive complaints and to conduct investigations, and it is free from political influence or any other parties. Even the government also respects the independency of EAIC.
He explained that in pursuant to the principle of separation of power, EAIC plays the roles of receiving complaints and conducting investigations. On the other hand, the power to prosecute and the power to make final decisions are under the purview of other agencies.
YA Datuk Yaacob said that even though EAIC does not have the power to prosecute, but it is still powerful. For instance, the investigation outcomes made by the EAIC can be used in courts as evidence.
“This is ‘public accountability’. If the investigation power and the power to prosecute are conferred all together unto one agency, it can cause problems like misuse of power. A good system needs a good accountability.
Enforcement Agencies cannot do as they wish
YA Datuk Yaacob told that under the concept of New World Order, the 21 agencies cannot act as they wish. He emphasized that the purpose of the government to establish EAIC is not to “look for trouble” but to build integrity among enforcement agencies.
He emphasized that enforcement agencies and their personnel shall act according to their SOPs whereas EAIC shall act according to law.
“EAIC does not find faults but to find the truth from the conducts by the enforcement personnel.”
First 7 months of this year receives 345 complaints
EAIC receives 345 complaints in the first 7 months of this year, of which PDRM receives the most complaints from the public with its number of 278.
According to YA Datuk Yaacob, since 2011, the number of complaints against enforcement agencies has been increasing yearly, and the number of complaints received in the first 7 months of this year is near to the total number of complaints received in year 2016, that is 306.
According to him, among the complaints received this year, Selangor has the most complaints, which is 103 following by Kuala Lumpur which has 61 complaints.
YA Datuk Yaacob pointed out that, according to the tendency of increase in complaints received for the first 7 months of this year, it is predictable that the complaints received this year will be more than last year.
He said EAIC will reinforce its guides so that people get to know the channel to make a complaint against misconduct; EAIC will improve its interaction with public; EAIC will also increase public legal awareness and it will make sure the enforcement agencies to reinforce their enforcement. These also are the 4 factors of the rise in the number of complaints.
He said that misuse of power by the enforcement personnel includes misuse of power for personal interest, covering for and involved in illegal activities, not taking actions to ban illegal activities and etc.
Face Disciplinary Problems
YA Datuk Yaacob reminds the relevant agencies not to put themselves in the state of denial about the disciplinary problems faced by them but to face them.
He said the government agencies and enforcement agencies should do their best to produce high-integrity government servants. However, because the supervision for the compliance of SOPs is not enough, it has therefore created irresponsible rotten apples who take the advantage of the lack of supervision and hence, the existing disciplinary problems.
He said these rotten apples have portrayed negative image to the public about public servants and enforcement personnel.
“It is not surprising that people would think that something has gone wrong with the integrity among the enforcement agencies. Bad impression against the enforcement agencies is not mere perception by the public. We can’t just shirk our responsibilities and deny thinking that disciplinary problems are not in existence.
YA Datuk Yaacob also emphasized that in cooperation with the enforcement agencies to promote integrity culture, relevant agencies need to take necessary actions against officers who commit misconduct in building integrity.
“Enforcement officers who misuse of power and irresponsible are to be taken stringent actions, including punitive sanctions.

China Press
August 3,2017
Pg A10