Mum wants probe over prison 'negligence'

(Malaysiakini) The mother of R Kumarajah, a Kajang prison inmate who died late October, has urged the police to investigate prison authorities for alleged negligence resulting in her son's death.

After lodging a police report at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters today, M Sooriakandhi, 51, told reporters that the prison wardens could have provided her son medical attention.

"Why didn't they take him to the hospital? Why didn't they inform me? My son was sick for three days. They didn't inform me at all," said Sooriakandhi in between her sobs.

Her lawyer G Sivamalar said prison laws stipulated that prison authorities must inform a detainee's family members immediately should the person be severely ill or have died.

However, in Kumarajah's case, his family was only informed of his death after 24 hours, said Sivamalar.

Kumarajah, 27, was convicted of motorcycle theft in 2011 and was incarcerated at the Kajang prison. He was scheduled for release in February 2013.

He was pronounced dead on Oct 29, ostensibly of AIDS. Sooriakandhi later challenged the pronouncement, because no autopsy was performed to determine the cause of death.

The authorities relented after Sooriakandhi's plight was made public and an autopsy was performed on Nov 2.

A preliminary report has revealed that Kumarajah's death was the result of "heart muscle inflammation caused by bacteria or virus."