KUALA LUMPUR, June 27- Statistics shows that only two out of 231 custodial death cases recorded between the year 2000 and May this year are caused by the police, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 196 of the deaths were due to illness, such as HIV/AIDS, asthma and heart ailment, followed by self-hanging (29), fights (two) and slipping in lock up (two).
“Ninety-seven of the custodial death cases involved the Malays, followed by Chinese (49), Indians (51), foreigners (25) and others (nine),” he said in reply to Datuk Johari Abdul (PKR-Sungai Petani) during question time yesterday.
Johari had wanted an explanation pertaining several custodial death cases and efforts taken to solve the issue.
The custodial death cases involved, among others, A. Kugan, 23, who was found dead in a Taipan police station in Subang Jaya, Selangor in 2009; N. Dharmendran, 32, in Kuala Lumpur on May 23, 2013; and R. Jamesh Ranesh, 40, in Penang on May 27, 2013.
Ahmad Zahid said the ministry viewed the cases seriously and that it would not compromise with or protect any officers involved in the cases.
“Each report about injuries or death of detainees in lock up will be investigated and necessary action will be taken by the ministry, whether in terms of disciplinary action, or a charge in court,” he said.
To prevent such cases from recurring, the minister the ministry had also taken several measures such as installing more closed-circuit television cameras, establishing centralised lock up and coroner’s courts.
A special committee to improve police lock-up and detainees management had also been set up with the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar as the chairman, he added.
– BERNAMA
