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Today, May 31, 2006, is an important timeline for the Abdullah Administration.

The rakyat had beenpromised an efficient delivery system in the civil service when Abdullah came to power on his own mandate in March 2004. He obtained an estounding political capital to set the national agenda for reforms.

The Royal Commission on Police knew of Abdullah's commitment to the rakyat when its members drafted the report, particicularly pertaining to the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). To ensure the timely delivery of the IPCMC, one of the core recommendations of the Royal Commission Report, the Commission did two things:

• Providing a draft bill for the setting up of the IPCMC, so that the Attorney General's chambers can save time.


• Setting a reasonable timeline for the IPCMC to be instituted. The timeline for the IPCMC to be presented in the Parliament, which the Government did not reject, is today -- May 31, 2006.

What we have had done is that the Police has shown an open revolt rejecting the IPCMC, both in a closed-door dialogue with the PM in his capacity as the Internal Security Minister who oversees the Police Force, and in the Police website.

Responding to the Police defiance, Abdullah said this yesterday, via Bernama:

The Attorney-General (AG) has been asked to take into account the views of various sides relating to the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"It is not easy to think of the best mechanism. On one side is the report of the (Royal) Commission (to enhance the operation and management of the police) which recommended the IPCMC (while) the police have made other proposals and the public also has proposals.

"The important thing is for the AG to adopt an approach which, when implemented, must bring good to the police and satisfy the wishes of the people," he told reporters after attending a Workers Day assembly for the public sector, here Tuesday.

In The NST, the PM ws quoted as saying:

Abdullah stressed that he had reminded Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail to consider all the proposals made. "As far as I am concerned, the IPCMC is important to me. I have handed the matter over to the A-G for his action," he said.

Abdullah, indeed, has made a smart statement.

Had anyone in the Abdullah Administration screwed up the IPCMC deadline by the end of today, when the Royal Commision's recommended timeline shall expire, there is a monkey to take the full rap.

That's how the chain of command works. It shows who has the upperhand in this country.

Meanhile, someone in the mainstream press echoed what the PM had said. Quote:

Many of us will still recall the similar chorus of support when it was then politically correct to support the setting up of the IPCMC. [...]

The Government has found itself in a tight spot – meeting the demands of the people for real reforms and tackling the unhappiness of the police officers, whose roles are so essential in maintaining the country’s security.

A re-look at the proposals and the views of the parties involved may be necessary, so that everyone can see eye-to-eye on the issue, for the larger interest of Malaysia.

Wong Chun Wai, who wrote the Op-Ed piece in today's Star, should know that the Royal Commiission is not about politics or political-correctness.

As it is, the Royal Commission was instituted and convened with the grace of the Agong, breaching the deadline will carry the dimension of royal expediency.

However, in a land whose new spin is an efficiernt delivery system, Chun Wai is indeed politically correct by ignoring the deadline set by the Royal Commission for thr setting up of the IPCMC -- May 31, 2006.

For the stateman who repeatedly said 'failure is not an option', enough of the lofty slogans but he has my sympathy if today expired with IPCMC cast in deep doubt. Read theSun editorial on this.