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Tuesday, 8 February 2011

MIC reviews acquittal of suspect in Kugan's case

The Sun
by Natalie Heng

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 6, 2011): The MIC is studying the recent acquittal of police constable V. Navindran in the case of A. Kugan who died while in police custody two years ago, and would write to the Inspector-General of Police, its president Datuk G. Palanivel said yesterday.

He declined further comment on the matter which has attracted attention after Navindran, who was charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to extract a confession from the 23-year-old A. Kugan, was acquitted last week without his defence being called.

Palanivel was speaking at the launch of the MIC headquarters service centre at Jalan Rahmat today.

MIC Youth chief Mohan Thangarasu, who was also present, described the episode as upsetting and said MIC would meet Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam, to prepare a paper calling for a royal commission or a separate body to look into it.

"Even though Navindran might be innocent, then who was the one who beat and killed him?" he asked.

"This issue is indicative of police brutality and custodial deaths are still very high.

"On this issue we are willing to work with them (PKR leaders)," he said.

Concerning the novel "Interlok", Mohan said he had no issue with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's announcement that the novel will remain the Malay literature textbook for Form Five.

"It's very clear, the deputy prime minister said they will withdraw whatever sensitive word was there, so what else is there to do?

"We should focus on other things, there are a lot of other important issues," he said.

Palanivel also said MIC state and division level service centres nationwide would be revamped by April in order to better serve the community.

He said centres would have standard opening times from 9am to 2pm on Sundays, so that services will more accessible to the public.

At the service centre at Jalan Rahmat yesterday, about 30 volunteers from Wanita MIC, Yayasan Strategik Social and MIC Youth Social and Welfare Bureau provide help to more than 100 people.

The service centres are intended to be one-stop centres where people can seek help with welfare, health or job-related issues and seek advice on government agencies best suited to address their problems. -- theSun

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