Let his death not be in vain. Lay him to rest with dignity.

By:- Haris Ibrahim

eaglewings asked if a meeting point could be designated for those who want to attend the funeral and pay their last respects to Kugan tomorrow.

Meeting point : Outside Binary College ( opposite IOI Mall / TESCO. See map below )

Time : Between 3pm - 3.15pm. Please be on time.

___________________________________________

I did not know Kugan or the many others who have died whilst in police custody.

Speculation abounds as to their actual number.

Yet, even one death in custody is one too many.

And there may well have been far too many because we, you and I, did not react as we should have with the very first death in custody.

In that sense, however remote it may seem, we are, to some extent, collectively culpable by our past indifference for the death of Kugan and the others.

There have been some unkind comments in this blog that insinuate that we should not ignore the possibility that his involvement in criminal activity got Kugan into the circumstance leading to his death in the first place.

If indeed he was involved in the activity that led to his initial remand, we should reflect on why, in a nation blessed with richness of natural resources that ought to have been equitably applied to its people, one of our sons had to resort to such activity to make it through each passing day?

For me, the answer points once again to our past indifference at the abject neglect of our own people.

And you and I can do nothing to atone for our wrong to Kugan and the others who have suffered the cruel fate, first at the hands of belligerant police, and then a hitherto apathetic society.

What you and I can do is to resolve, and to work to that end, that there will not be another death in custody, after Kugan, and that those responsible for any other deaths in custody hereafter must be held to account.

Let Kugan’s passing be our clarion call to press for the IPCMC to be established without any further delay.

Do this, so that his passing would not have been completely in vain.

Tomorrow, his family will lay Kugan’s remains to rest.

kraznyoctbyar sent in the following comment to the ‘Second post mortem underway’ post

Dear Peace Loving Malaysians,

The MSM (NTV7) is reporting that police have info that the late Kugan’s funeral will be a front to a massive protest rally against police brutality.I appeal to all to remain calm and exercise restraint from all who are planning to attend the funeral.Kindly be patient and let the law take it’s course in an open court of law.Please accord the Late Kugan a peaceful and uneventful farewell.

I fully endorse these sentiments.

An sms is making its rounds calling on people to converge at the UH mortuary and to join in procession therefrom to the burial grounds.

I would urge against this.

Malaysianinsider reports today, based on undisclosed sources, that the second autopsy reveals that Kugan suffered external injuries caused by blunt force trauma and that he died of cardiac arrest following the injuries.

Let us not speculate anymore.

Let’s await the disclosure of the second autopsy report in full.

And then, collectively, we will persevere to ensure that the law takes its course.

Malaysiakini reports to day that the Selangor CPO has asked that Kugan’s funeral tomorrow not be turned into a political rally.

I agree.

Without pointing fingers at anyone, please, do not look to make political mileage from this young man’s death.

Kugan plainly suffered much indignity just before his death.

Let us accord him some dignity as we lay him to rest.

The cortege is expected to arrive at the burial ground between 3.45 - 4.00pm tomorrow.

My friends and I will make our way to the cemetary at the 14th Mile, Puchong to pay our last respects to Kugan and to extend our condolences to his family.