Sugumar: Political exploitation of a family's grief?

Ranesa Jegatheesa

The sudden retraction by Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand to do a second post-mortem on C.Sugumar is a slap in the face of people like N. Surendran of PKR. These are the people who have come to premature conclusions as to the cause of death and then make allegations.

Dr Pornthip had agreed to take on the task but made an abrupt about-turn immediately afterwards, citing personal reasons. Sugumar had died after he ran amok in Taman Sri Nanding in Hulu Langat on 23 Jan. Some quarters have since alleged that the police had beaten him up.

PM Najib then ordered a forensic report be submited to the Cabinet. Dr Pornthip, a high profile pathologist, must have made some preliminary inquiries before declining the brief. Could she have concluded that she did not wish to be embroiled in a political blame game?

And could she have concluded that Malaysians are up to the task of doing a professional job themselves? Let's wait and see. Until then, will Surendran and his cohorts please stop capitalising on a family's grief?