Prisoner dies, Prisons Dept blamed

Mohd Adnan Razali died due to kidney failure and it was alleged that the prison authorities had denied him treatment.

KUALA LUMPUR: A prisoner, suffering from acute kidney problem, at the Kajang prison died after the prison authorities denied him medical assistance, the Human Rights Party (HRP) alleged today.

The party said Mohd Adnan Razali died in June, 2010 due to kidney problems after the Kajang prison authorities denied him medical access despite knowing that the inmate had serious health problems.

The party lodged a police report against Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail for failing to initiate action against the prison authorities.

HRP central executive member S Thiagarajan lodged the report on behalf of the deceased’s family at the Jalan Travers police station here.

He said Mohd Adnan was initially held at the Sungai Buloh prison in 2008 and went for dialysis three times a week because of kidney problems.

He was shifted to the Kajang prison in March 2010 and the prison administration refused to facilitate his treatment.

He died in June 2010, and his death certificate states that he died due to kidney failure.

Speaking to reporters, Thiagarajan said action must be taken against both the police chief and attorney-general who had refused to investigate and prosecute the Kajang prison authorities, although it had been two years since the incident.

“We will give the police two weeks to take action. Otherwise the family will file a civil suit against the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Prisons Department director,” he said.

Meanwhile, wife of the inmate, Norlailee Hamzah said the family took a long time to file a police report because they could not find a proper channel to air their problem.

Norlailee, from Seremban, said she tried to get help from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional leaders since June 2010 but to no avail.

“I also paid RM22,000 to a lawyer who promised to help me, but till today not a single action has been taken by him,” she said.