Lawyers for Liberty’s letter complains of lack of seriousness in dealing with custodial deaths.
PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen has written an open letter to “the next Prime Minister of Malaysia” asking him to ensure justice in the case of C Sugumar and similar cases of deaths in state custody.
Paulsen alleged that police were not serious in investigating such deaths and politicians in power had shown little sympathy with the victims’ families.
“They often choose to downplay, cover up, ignore or even make outrageous claims about these deaths,” he wrote.
“Despite the long list of custodial deaths, very few policemen are charged, much less found guilty of any offence.”
Referring to the Sugumar case, he said the police had made the “incredible claim” that they were not responsible for his death since the post-mortem report showed that the victim died of a heart attack.
“This is not surprising as PDRM [the Malay abbreviation for Royal Malaysian Police] does have a terrible history of cover ups and denial of responsibility,” he wrote. “See, for example, the death in custody of A. Kugan and the fatal police shooting of 15-year-old Aminulrasyid.”
Sugumar, a 40-year-old security guard, was allegedly chased, handcuffed and beaten to death on Jan 23 by policemen and several members of the public.
His family disputes the report of the government pathologist and is trying to get an independent pathologist to conduct a second autopsy.
“Even though Sugumar’s death was championed mainly by the opposition and civil societies, the authorities should have addressed his death instead of blindly supporting the police,” Paulsen said.
“According to the Home Ministry, 156 people were found dead in police lock-ups or in custody from the year 2000 to 2011.”
Eighty-five of these cases were in the “No Further Action” pile, he added.
Allow Thai pathologist
He said Lawyers for Liberty was hoping that the next federal government would make amends so that Sugumar’s family would have closure over his death.
“In order for this to happen, state institutions must be freed from improper political interference so that they are able to function independently and impartially like in any other modern democratic state,” he said.
He also called for the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) that was mooted during the administration of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“The IPCMC will certainly go a long way in preventing custodial deaths and enhancing public confidence,” he said.
The lawyer representing Sugumar’s family, PKR vice-president N Surendran, said today that he and the deceased’s relatives were hoping Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak would change his mind and allow Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand to conduct the second autopsy.
Pornthip came to the Malaysian public’s attention when she served as observing pathologist in the case of Teo Beng Hock. She later testified in court against the post-mortem report.
“As caretaker PM, Najib can still lift the ban on Pornthip and allow her to perform the second post mortem,” said Surendran.
He said the family was insisting on the second autopsy even if they had to wait until after the general election.
“As PKR’s vice-president, I assure you that we will issue an immediate invitation to Pornthip if Pakatan Rakyat forms the next federal government,” he added.
PETALING JAYA: Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen has written an open letter to “the next Prime Minister of Malaysia” asking him to ensure justice in the case of C Sugumar and similar cases of deaths in state custody.Paulsen alleged that police were not serious in investigating such deaths and politicians in power had shown little sympathy with the victims’ families.
“They often choose to downplay, cover up, ignore or even make outrageous claims about these deaths,” he wrote.
“Despite the long list of custodial deaths, very few policemen are charged, much less found guilty of any offence.”
Referring to the Sugumar case, he said the police had made the “incredible claim” that they were not responsible for his death since the post-mortem report showed that the victim died of a heart attack.
“This is not surprising as PDRM [the Malay abbreviation for Royal Malaysian Police] does have a terrible history of cover ups and denial of responsibility,” he wrote. “See, for example, the death in custody of A. Kugan and the fatal police shooting of 15-year-old Aminulrasyid.”
Sugumar, a 40-year-old security guard, was allegedly chased, handcuffed and beaten to death on Jan 23 by policemen and several members of the public.
His family disputes the report of the government pathologist and is trying to get an independent pathologist to conduct a second autopsy.
“Even though Sugumar’s death was championed mainly by the opposition and civil societies, the authorities should have addressed his death instead of blindly supporting the police,” Paulsen said.
“According to the Home Ministry, 156 people were found dead in police lock-ups or in custody from the year 2000 to 2011.”
Eighty-five of these cases were in the “No Further Action” pile, he added.
Allow Thai pathologist
He said Lawyers for Liberty was hoping that the next federal government would make amends so that Sugumar’s family would have closure over his death.
“In order for this to happen, state institutions must be freed from improper political interference so that they are able to function independently and impartially like in any other modern democratic state,” he said.
He also called for the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) that was mooted during the administration of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“The IPCMC will certainly go a long way in preventing custodial deaths and enhancing public confidence,” he said.
The lawyer representing Sugumar’s family, PKR vice-president N Surendran, said today that he and the deceased’s relatives were hoping Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak would change his mind and allow Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand to conduct the second autopsy.
Pornthip came to the Malaysian public’s attention when she served as observing pathologist in the case of Teo Beng Hock. She later testified in court against the post-mortem report.
“As caretaker PM, Najib can still lift the ban on Pornthip and allow her to perform the second post mortem,” said Surendran.
He said the family was insisting on the second autopsy even if they had to wait until after the general election.
“As PKR’s vice-president, I assure you that we will issue an immediate invitation to Pornthip if Pakatan Rakyat forms the next federal government,” he added.
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