Until the deaths of A. Kugan and Teoh Beng Hock this year, the death in police custody of Francis Udayappan was probably the most widely known.
Francis died on 24th May, 2004.
Police say he had escaped whilst in remand at the Brickfields police station, and, they would have us believe, he drowned in the Klang river whilst attempting to make his escape.
One person has never believed the official version of Francis’ death.
Madam Sara Lily, Francis mother, has always refuted the police version of his death, contending that Francis had been violently assaulted by the police prior to Francis’ death.
She pursued this contention, and lost, at the inquest, in 2006. The coroner ruled that there was no evidence of foul play.
Sara filed an application to the High Court to review the coroner’s finding.
That was heard and dismissed in November, last year.
I understand that she has filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
She has also launched a RM29 million suit against the government and 11 others for negligence resulting in Francis death.
In her own words, “How can my son die and allegedly escape while in police custody? I will not rest until I get justice”. You can read about this in a Malaysiakini report HERE.
Francis is one of 1,805 cases of deaths in police custody since 2003 that were remembered on the night of 28th July, 2009, at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, where a memorial was held in memory of these death in custody victims.
As part of that evening’s program, the organisers had put together two powerpoint presentations.
I was not prepared for what was about to unfold before us during that presentation.
The organisers have very kindly made the second presentation available to me so that I might share it with you.
It comprises in all 163 slides. It’s linked below.
I’d urge you to first view the whole slide presentation before you continue reading the rest of this post.
Please.
As I watched the slides countdown from death in custody case no. 1805 down to 1, I was numbed.
Then shame came over me.
And then I broke down.
Of the 1805, only 60 whose names were known.
And of the 60, most were faceless names.
What of the mothers of these many, circumstanced like Madam Sara?
Were they, albeit unnoticed, fighting for justice for their dead?
Or had they given up on the system of justice and the citizenry ever affording them the truth of why their loved ones were dead?
I left the memorial that night troubled at how, even after Francis case had drawn so much attention to the issue of death in police custody cases, civil society had been seemingly oblivious to three deaths in custody every four days even as Francis case was making its way through the courts.
Had the mainstream media so effectively blacked out news of these deaths?
Or were we simply apathetic?
Gunasegaran’s awaits an inquest.
Beng Hock’s inquest is ongoing
Ghana Pragasam?
Kugan?
We cannot ignore this anymore.
Something must be done.
I’d like to have your thoughts, before I give mine.
GoMalaysian
August 25, 2009
Projek Projek Kerajaan Barisan Nasional!!!
Istana Bali >>> http://gomalaysian.blogspot.com/2009/07/dulu-selangor-ada-istana-zakaria.html
Istana Zakaria >>> http://gomalaysian.blogspot.com/2008/11/khir-toyo-isu-istana-zakaria-ada-motif.html
Istana Ottawa >>> http://gomalaysian.blogspot.com/2009/03/dari-batang-ai-hingga-ke-ottawa-ini.html
Terbaru!!!
Istana Kampung >>> http://gomalaysian.blogspot.com/2009/08/satu-lagi-projek-kerajaan-barisan.html
Another Rakyat
August 25, 2009
GoMalaysia,
1. Your take on Istana Ottawa is a NON-ISSUE.
You have said “The handsome new home of Ottawa developer Sean Murray and his wife, Jamilah Taib, has shot to No. 2 among Ottawa’s most expensive private residences, as measured by the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC).”
Her Husband, Sean Murray is a Canadian Developer!!! So, what is the issue? Are you jealous?
2. Your take on Istana Kampung is incomplete! Who owns this mansion? What is his back ground?
3. Please do not create issue when there is none!!!
For Justice
August 25, 2009
As I see it, many of the witnesses in the TBH inquest are not revealing or reserving the truth. Why can’t a lie detector be used (though this is not totally fool-proof).How can there be any justice.pDRM for bUMno, pDRM for mACC, mACC for bUMNO, mACC for pDRM, ag for bUMNO, courts for bUMNO
Michael
August 25, 2009
Sigh…
romerz
August 25, 2009
Whatever these people did to be in police custody in the first place, there is no reason for them to be beaten to death! After all we have a justice system and a constitution where due process of law must occur before an accused is condemned to punishment especially of the lethal kind.
I do not know a solution to these custodial deaths except to strive towards restoration of our merdeka federal constitution where citizen and human rights were foremost and should be upheld by the government.
By striving towards the restoration of our merdeka federal constitution, I mean we have to first stop those who would distort it for their own political purposes.
That would be the first step, then come the next step of supporting those who are capable of that restoration.
Given the current choices we have, how I do not know but I know that we must never give up! We just have to keep plugging away at it as best we can.
Haris, sorry if I’m no help here except to say what I said.
SBB
August 25, 2009
apathetic? maybe we have controlled choice by govt..
its all greed and abuse by those we elected to be in authority maybe its better to go Republic like Singapore and Indonesia.
Antares
August 25, 2009
I was deeply impacted by a 1982 film by Costa Gavras called Missing. Starring Jack Lemmon & Sissy Spacek, the action taks place in post-Allende Chile. A nightmare zone of sadistic psychopaths and 4th-rate megalomaniacs where dissidents are arrested, beaten and tortured, executed and thrown into mass graves in the name of CIA-sponsored national security. Is Malaysia slithering in that abysmal direction with Jibby at the reins (and Rosie cracking the whip)? THANKS FOR THIS HEART-CENTERED POST, BRO.
Antares
August 25, 2009
Meant to include a link to Dean Johns’s piece for Malaysiakini, The BNality of Evil. Worth a second or third read!
Paul Warren
August 25, 2009
There was this power point presentation that my daughter showed me the other day. Apparently when Eisenhower first saw the Hitler’s gas chambers and the victims of the Holocaust, he ordered that pictures, both still and moving be taken. he also ordered that the entire townsfolk living close to the camps be brought in to see for themselves what they chose not to see for any number of years. Eisenhower, had apparently remarked, that someday, some son of a bitch would deny that this ever happened.
Well, MSM’s silence over the deaths makes them culpable, just as the residents close to Hitler’s death camps for the goings on in our police stations and detention centres. MSM’s continued silence over these deaths shows their conscious abetment to this continuing crime. Just as they continue to ignore, so should we without any pause continue to remid them of their culpability. Should we, perchance, have a situation arising in the future when we too, like in South Africa, have a truth commission, I would want to ask this of all those who closed an eye to the dictates of their profession.
Clifford
August 28, 2009
The Eisenhower story is true. He forced the townsfolk of Auschwitz and Birkenau to march through the death camps and to clear the bodies of the inmates, which were stacked like cordwood where they fell.
I think we need to go further than just a truth commission. We need Malaysia’s own version of the Nuremberg Trials, to hold to account crimes past and present. 1,806 deaths in custody is 1,806 too many.
julian
August 25, 2009
yo malaysians wake up ,what wll happen if the next death is someone you cherish??????
the gov is good to always conduct an inquest by their people and then the will file it as nfa (NO FURTHER ACTION) TOO OFTEN.whar happens if the next victim happens happens to be one of your loved. please wake up as all the gov. agencies work for the bn clowns and sweep problems under the carpet.
realgunners
August 25, 2009
A question: How do we know for sure that there are indeed so many deaths, when most of them have unknown names? Is there any slight possibility that the person who made this slide made that up? I wasn’t at the Assembly Hall, so I don’t know what were being said there..
Anyway, if there are indeed so many deaths.. 3 deaths in 4 days… God save us all…
realgunners,
A ministerial reply in Parliament disclosed the numbers. Suaram collated the same and the names of those whose names are known.
No, the team that made the slide presentation did not make up the numbers
Wong Ka Wai
August 25, 2009
I’m speechless with the figure announced.
Total revamp needed in police academy and standard operating procedure.
CCTV must be compulsory installed at every interrogation place.
Maybe we need a new IGP to inject fresh ideas of revamption.
open online shop with RM100
Shakuntala
August 25, 2009
No doubt, that society all along had not adopted a civic consciousness and awareness up until now…
Our apathy has been in stark contrast to the vigilance and tenacity of brave Madam Sara Lily who is relentlessly persuing the cause of her late son Francis’s death….not death from drowning, as alledged, but from police assault.
A mother’s heart has bled and like all mothers,Sara Lily is unable to restrain her tears. The late Francis is her son and she would know best. Sara Lily is confident of unveiling the truth …we give her now, our utmost support…she will not have to fight alone.
Society….civil as it has since become, due to leaders such as yourself, Haris and others who constantly and bravely are able to voice opposition, through the media, to human rights violations in this country.
It seems strange that upholders of human rights, had been as apathetic and non vigilant as the public. Suhakam comes to mind, the Bar Council, human rights groups..etc.
At the end of the day, do we only wait to re-act when tragedy visits each and everyone of us…?
We ought not to disregard whatever is necessary to do, for the advancement of our malaysian society and civilization.
lucia
August 25, 2009
i’m moved too. these people die for nothing. it’s so unfair. they may be suspect of some criminal activities but they were still human who have rights.
can something be done like organising a ‘say no to custodial death’ group (or in bahasa ‘tiada kematian lagi’), where members will rise up whenever there is a custodial death – to investigate, fight for justice, help the family of the victim, put pressure on the authorities and so on. make it an initiative like anak bangsa malaysia.
Sally
August 25, 2009
Unbelieveable that these people in authority misused their power and took the law into their own hands. Reveal their cold-blooded armstrong tactics to the world and bring them to answer and to be punished appropriately. These crooks should go to Hell!!! and not walk this earth.
janice
August 25, 2009
2 words come to mind… ethnic cleansing.
So to the pendatang-pendatang, please have a back up plan on where to migrate. I think they are trying for a May 13 again. With those new generations of PAS fools, I think it will be probable.
Hang Jebat
August 25, 2009
It is sad to see people die while in custody…malaysia is becoming a police state. If we the rakyat is not doing anything about it..our children will never forgive us….pls make adifference to their life and to their future…they need a better place to live in
farida
August 25, 2009
I need time to say something besides what I am saying now, Haris, because what you have written and what was shown are just overwhelming. God forgive us for our apathy.
americk sidhu
August 25, 2009
I recall in the early ’80′s being in the Petaling Jaya magistrates court canteen and having a chat with some lawyers and some police personnel. I vividly recall a chinese police officer bragging about how the police tried to avoid taking prisoners. When arrests for serious crimes such as armed robbery are made, there are hardly ever any arrests as the whole gang are usually shot dead. The police are never injured or shot in these gun battles. In fact this police officer proceeded to tell us how he was escorting some bodies back to the mortuary after one of these ubiquitous shoot outs when one of the bodies started moving so he stepped on its neck and pushed down hard till it broke and the body moved no more. He was proud of this. I felt sick.
Recently I have had the ‘privelege’ of conversing with another officer from the IPK who was telling me of the antics of the D9 or D7 group (can’t be sure which).Apparently their task is to weed out nortorious bad hats, take them to ‘safe houses’, interrogate them, torture them, and when they have got what they need, they are shot in the head and their bodies disposed of in a variety of different ways including, but not limited to, disposal in rivers with weights around their legs, detonation, and burials in selected areas.
So, the numbers of deaths in police custody are really only the tip of the iceberg. There are far more deaths that occur before these victims are even taken into custody. The police do not appear to want anyone in custody. It is a nuisance they could do without. And they do this with impunity.
Can anyone remember the last time there was a court case involving armed robbers? No? Thats right. These people never make it to court. They are all Judged, Juried and Executed with great haste in case some smart arsed lawyer manages to get them off.
sampalee
August 25, 2009
At that precise moment when you broke down,it is Tuhan giving you a nudge.So many ills from so many fronts.How to deal with them?Well ABM is the prescription.Lead the nation back to health through ABM
k1
August 25, 2009
where is our rojak family??? always talking about loving and caring our RAKYATS, now RAKYATS die in polis custody, rojak family got show any concern??? If it is because not to involve in politic, then must totally out from politic!!! No say in appointment of MB, chairman of PKFZ, I mean clean cut from any political/government post. Pls look at Japan or UK where the Royal Family are just having decent life, children also study in government and not international school or overseas, no involving in any private business sector, no involving in any politic. Therefore they are all well respect from their own citizen, from their hearts.
Fir
August 25, 2009
Malaysians are paying a high price for their apathy. They’re starting to wake up now but is it too little too late?
yong
August 25, 2009
Death of detainees during Incarceration is not something NEW.
This has been with US since Man devised a so called JUSTICE System. In medieval times we had various kind of torture instruments used by the Warlords on the so called Lawbreakers.Instruments like the WHEEL, RACK, Hot Iron Rods, Gorging out Eyes and what more, last but not least is Death by BEHEADING. That is the WEST. In CHINA – Pulling out Finger nails,Screwing Sticks on Fingers and the INFAMOUS BEATING with Broad Pieces of wood. Like the West the
ultimate punishment – DEATH.
So what is so baffling that TORTURE is still practiced Today.
If memory SERVES me, a senior officer told me long ago ” The background of Victims is important, if that person is of no consequence We can safely ignore it but not if the person is connected ….”.
The maxim is quite true as One senior Officer was jailed for the death of a detainee long time ago because the detainee was a NEPHEW of some High Official. Another Officer was Fined and Demoted
for a similar but lesser offence.
However it is never the intention of the officers to cause death, death is caused in the course of interrrogation due miscalculation of pressure especially if detainees are drug dependent persons
who succumb to physical abuse.
Even the US of A practices Physical Torture.
I am not condoning Death in Detention but just highlighting how THOSE IN POWER WILL USE ALL MEANS
TO ENSURE POWER STAY IN THEIR HANDS throughout History.
However we now have a more up to date way of keeping power – have you notice “JUST INVESTIGATE Alleged CORRUPT POLITICIANS and the person being investigated will HOP to the reigning Power House and LO and BEHOLD these tainted persons will be gladly welcomed. How is it that the present Power is so desperate that any old rubbish will do or is it that they themselves are actually alike and this is their way of consolidating POWER to MILK the RAKYAAT for another 50 years.
HIDUP MALAYSIA !!! BERJUANG UNTUK NEGARA AND RAJA !!
rakyat Malaysia.
Doubtful
August 25, 2009
so are you ruling out that those who died might be dead because of natural causes? or beaten by their own jailmate not the police? or suicide? ever heard of prison riot? I’m not saying the police is totally not responsible for some of the deaths.. but are you going to totally blaming the police on their death? Do you think it’s easy to control a villain let a alone few hundreds of them? sigh…
Nanda
August 25, 2009
You missed the point. In order to ascertain the cause, we need to pursue the truth and that’s exactly what this post tries to highlight, I believe. Any death in custody should trigger an inquest, if I’m not mistaken, but the fact that we only know 60 out of 1805 names in itself is telling.
Untill we get down to the details and find out the truth, we are left with these conjectures where one can claim police brutality or one can claim variety of other reasons. And precisely that’s what we are after, the truth. If every single evidence point to no foul play beyond reasonable doubt, then we accept it. Until then, well, if the authorities are not forthcoming and are not ready to be transparent, then they’ve got to live with the perception that they themselves had created.
mslim
August 25, 2009
The findings of TBH’s inquest will be as good as the PDRM’s investigation. This will be the strongest link or the weakest link depending on how the Police want the case to be.
However, from the onset, the people were not convinced that there is a committment by the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and fair investiagtion. ” I did not look at this angle ” and answers of ” This is not part of my job ” were uttered in the trial inquest.
The rakyat alleged that it is a poor attempt in covering each other. A lot of evidence were not revealed in the inquest and there was no attempt to reveal nothing but the truth.
Questions raised were not addressed properly :
1. Who were the interrogators for TBH that night and who came in and out of the interrogation room ? Were their movements logged ?
2. Where were the interrogation rooms and on which floor(s)? This is important as the MACC may want to lead the investigation team to a room which was not splatter with blood. Suggest that the Forensic team appointed by the State govt. look into this.
3. Why was there an unduly delay in the police investigation ? Was it to allow sufficient time for cover up ?
4. Those persons who did not punch out and where were they ? Quite unusual to be in the building for an extended time. Any corroboration with the guard’s version who should be interviewed separately.
5. Why were CCTV footages in snapshots only ? The movement of persons in between snapshots footages is important.
Unless there is an attempt in cover up, the whole continuous recording for the night and the next morning must be shown.
6. Reconstruction of the scene after the crime is important as well especially relating to people’s movement in and out of the building.Where the the Deputy Director’s clocking in and out ( together with the CCTV’s recordings ) and his movement had to be recorded in detail. You cannot dismissed this part as this was alleged in the mysterious letter.
7. The process of DNA sampling. Was the identity of all those samples taken correspond with their facial features in the IC. Or was the sample taken based on names submitted by the police only ? Another person can take the place of the another person ? Who verify this or was it done by an independent party with the ID confirmed by the independent person ?
8. If the MACC really want the invstigation to be transparent, why did not they retake the DNA of those persons named in the mysterious letter in the presence of an independent panel including the lawyers.This will solve once and for all the allegations.
9. The question of finger prints on the window pane with no visible imprints is unusual. The root cause of the cleaning must be determined. Brushing this aspect aside will not do justice to TBH and his family. Were there other prints on nearby windows or was this the only glass pane which is unusually clean ?
As to the other queries, hopefully the forensic team from Thailand can shed more light as regards blood splatter on the floor, damge to bones and cranum etc.
Gan
August 25, 2009
My friend Bee Leng and myself were both at the 28July memorial and we were both shocked to see that of the 1805 custodial deaths – ONLY 60 had names to the nos.
What about the remaining 1745?
Didn’t any of the 1745′s had family members ?
I believe one of the former Chief Justice did voice out that she’s concerned on the high incidence of custodial deaths – but zip came out of that observation.
Lyon
August 25, 2009
Dear Haris,
The present non-transparent & ‘undemocratic’ administration who ‘dictates’ the actions of the police, manipulates the judiciary,controls the MSM and disallows our basic rights as enshrined in the constitution.
It gives us the feeling that there is little that we can do. It will be good if views are expressed on what do should do and how we should do it.
My ‘two cents- worth’
i) highlight deaths in custody to the international
media, human rights groups etc;
ii)keep count of the deaths in custody as well as
deaths caused by the enforcement authorities in
the streets by updates in blogs;
iii)set up a fund to cover legal costs in taking
action against those responsible;
iv) have a regular/monthly meet the people
(politicians to be excluded)sessions in a house /
hall. Rental of premise could be covered by
soliciting donations from the attendees.
We may then only really know how many people are committed in the quest for justice.
Cheers mate
Meng
August 25, 2009
Just thinking aloud. When one is arrested he has the right to have a lawyer present. Can we make another ruling to include a doctor to be present too. This doctor will do a check up prior to be take away by the police.
JooLee
August 25, 2009
this is tragic. everyone regardless of their sins, deserves to be treat humanely. they deserve a fair trial in a court of law – not a brutal execution behind bars. judging from this presentation which uses numbers provided by a minister no less, the police have so much blood on their hands. of course, i have the uncomfortable feeling that even this number of 1805 may not be the true figure.
sputjam
August 25, 2009
I was told the majority that dies under police custody were malays. Any information to back that up?
OrangKampung
August 25, 2009
If I were to say a MAN is the DEVIL in disguise, I am wrong because I am a MAN who loves to love a MAN because I am MAN. BUT A MAN SAYS MY PRIDE, EGO, SELF-ESTEEMED,SAY I am the LORD OF ALL MEN and the LAWS, uttered no words that degrade and tarnish MY PRIDE when I go to HELL I SIT ON THRONE OF GOLD CAUSE I AM THE LORD OF THE SATAN, I HAVE MADE MY DUE ON EARTH I
AM THE RICHESS MAN IN THE COUNTRY OF SAMUA BOLEH > I AM THE LORD WHO SAID SAMUA BOLEH LAH. MATI,CORUPSY
AH SUMUA BOLEH OK LAH
sambalmuncha
August 25, 2009
We can’t allow the victims of the system to be just a number. Is there a blog site dedicated to the dissemination of this?
Watcher
August 25, 2009
First i need to understand first, Haris.
If the names of those in the list are unknown, why are they in the list in the first place?
I dont understand. Please enlighten where does this figure arrive from?
Nanda
August 25, 2009
A ministerial reply in Parliament disclosed the numbers, 1805 in total.
Suaram collated the same and the names of those whose names are known.
It is now simple maths to figure out the unknown.
sactyr
August 25, 2009
Haris, this is the first of the videos that capture the moments after G Francis Udayappan’s death.
Although most of it is in English and Malay, the mom speaks in Tamil mostly; I tried translating for the benefit of others, but its just too.. depressing. I am sure readers will understand the grievances of a mum who just lost her son under mysterious circumstances, no translation needed there.
The sequels to this video go as far as the mom hurling abuses at the police station and shouting for the OCPD. Viewers discretion is advised.
sactyr,
This is what appears when you click on the youtube link you provided.
“This video is not available in your country due to copyright restrictions”.
Malaysianatheart
August 25, 2009
You want to do something?? Good luck bro! This country will need a revolution ala the Philippines before anything changes. And right now, the folks here just aren’t prepared to go down that road. Forgive me for saying this – but the vast majority won’t be prepared to give up the creature comforts that they have become used to for the sake of a few lives – mostly Indian anyway – and probably criminals really – in the name of justice and fair play etc.
Get real bro! You think our Chinese and Malay citizens really give a toss that a few Indians – who they perceive as gangsters anyway – died while in police custody? Our Chinese citizens don’t even give enough of a toss that one of their own – Teoh Beng Hock died in police custody – and he is no criminal. Tell me – what have the Chinese community done? Have they come out and protested? Is MCA or even Gerakan putting any pressure on the powers that be in response to the obvious kangaroo inquest? Despite all the revelations and the clear and present danger that this govt poses to its citizens, millions of them will still go out come 13th GE and vote for BN. We can only hope that even more millions will go out and NOT vote BN. Thats all we can do.
But good luck trying anyway!
Steven Foong
August 26, 2009
Malaysianatheart,
I know it’s hard not to be emotional about a subject like death in custody. But we must cool down and study the presentation rationally, however difficult.
So I’ve done some maths and I might have miscalculated but here goes:
Total Deaths: 1805
Named Victims: 50*
We only know the names of 2.77% of the victims. I agree that this is too small a number to be representative but this is all we have.
The ethnic grouping** is as follows:
Malay: : 17 (34%)
Chinese: 9 (18%)
Indian: 24 (48%)
Total: 50 deaths.
Close to half the deaths involved someone of Indian descent. I agree that this is extremely high considering that only 8% of Malaysians are ethnic Indians even after taking into account the so-called “sociological” factors, whatever that means.
But this does not, by any stretch of imagination, make death in custody an Indian issue. 52% of the names we find in the list are non-Indians. Surely this is a Malaysian issue. The deaths are well-distributed among the ethnic Malays and ethnic Chinese, which if not for the unusually high ethnic Indian percentages, will be quite representative of the Malaysian population.
So, I repeat: THIS IS A MALAYSIAN ISSUE! DO NOT CHEAPEN THEIR DEATHS BY LIMITING ITS SCOPE TO A PARTICULAR ETHNIC GROUP!
Finally, since 2008-03-08 until now, Malaysians of Chinese descent have consistently voted against BN in every by-election. Surely there is no basis in your accusation that they will vote BN come GE-13. In GE-12, the number of ethnic Chinese who voted for BN hardly passed 1 million, much less “millions”. Also, the community is no longer being represented by the MCA and Gerakan. They have since moved on to the DAP and PKR. So if you want to know what the Malaysians of Chinese descent are doing about deaths in custody, consult your local DAP or PKR representative.
SAYA ANAK BANGSA MALAYSIA
* I counted 51 names but Ho Kwai See was mentioned twice, number 343 and 269. I do notice, however, that Haris mentioned 60 names.
** This is based on my understanding of the naming convention. I agree that there may be flaws in my estimation of a person’s ethnicity.
sactyr
August 25, 2009
Sorry Haris, I am in Australia and it works fine. I did a bit of searching and it seems some countries actually request Google to censor certain Youtube videos.
But fret not, we can use a proxy (sort of a mirror): http://unblockyoutubeproxy.net/
I believe you should be able to access the video now if you enter the URL at the proxy site.
(P/S: Has the government already imposed internet filter while saying the opposite??)
Clifford
August 28, 2009
I suspect the blockage could be a variation of a tactic recently used by UMNO’s paid webcrawlers to attack civil society and Pakatan blogs/social networking sites such as on Facebook, and to try and deny access to information deemed ‘detrimental’ to UMNO-BN. Several blogs and Facebook profiles of Pakatan supporters have been subjected to similar attacks. Some of us are sharing information to try and weed out infiltrators.
nora
August 25, 2009
Custodial deaths are absolutely untenable.
Examples of multi-step measures to avoid custodial deaths may include:
1. PREVENTIVE
a) regulate police SOP
(includes having a clear charge – for what crime, under which section of what Act, notification to and access to family and lawyers, have CCTV during questioning, visits allowed, etc)
b) deviation/s from SOP will mean the policeman involved will be severely punished (demoted, criminal charge, face lawsuits, etc etc)
c) Make it clear in the Police Act or Prison Act or relevant Acts that police or staff of authorities involved in the detention of an individual faces the stiff punishment as mentioned in (b) above in cases of deviation from SOP
d) educate, educate, educate the public and policemen on their rights and responsibilities; and procedures to be taken by others should a person/friend/family be detained.
e) fair, independent police, AG and judiciary etc
f) any other relevant steps
2. AFTER-THE FACT & ‘PALLIATIVE’
a) As suggested by lucia (August 25, 2009 at 9:51 am), a support/pressure group to investigate the custodial death cases
b) Costs of autopsies by second independent experts chosen by the victim’s family, to be borne by the Police or relevant authorities
(similar to an expert panel in an EIA damage mitigation cases are selected by DoE but paid for by the errant project developers)
c) implementation of the punishment to the police etc who are involved in custodial deaths (demoted, criminal charge, face lawsuits, etc etc)
d) any other relevant steps.
Meng
August 25, 2009
It looks like Pakatan MPs and Aduns need to have their full medical check up every quarter of the year. One copy held by their lawyers and one framed up in their office. when the police come knocking on their doors show them the medical report. when they are taken in, the lawyer handover the report to the police.
Will it refrain the police from beating them up…control measure.
amoker
August 25, 2009
This is really disturbing. The police seemed to be unable to be accountable.
Crankshaft
August 25, 2009
During the Kugan case, the overriding response I seemed to get was “he was a criminal, thus he deserved it”.
I was so incensed, I actually wrote a rather rough post, singling out one of those who thought the police were doing their job.
Habib RAK
August 25, 2009
My suggestion would be to set up an NGO or make the existing NGO that is pursuing this matter more widely known to people. Just learn from how the Holocaust masterminds were pursued even after many decades. Assuming, we get to bring one rogue police officer to justice even if he/she is more than 80years old at that juncture, it would be worth it. It will send a chilling message that crime does not pay…it will catch up with you.
Clifford
August 29, 2009
I could not agree more. For these crimes, we must never forgive, and we must never forget.
ruyom
August 26, 2009
It is clear that Najib and BN can no longer win any open and fair election in Malaysia, and so they have fallen back on the same rotten formula used to engineer the illegal coup in Perak – deploy their MACC thugs on a witch hunt to harass Pakatan reps with potentially problematic backgrounds and combine this with a large bribe to entice the reps to crossover.
A few black sheep within the Pakatan fold may indeed succumb to this pressure, but the people eyes are open and they will not forgive nor forget another transgression of our democratic process by Najib and his goons. There will not be another Perak.
Clifford
August 28, 2009
Ruyom,
I wrote that comment and posted it on the Malaysiakini website. I am not upset but would appreciate if you would at least attribute the quote properly.
Clifford
August 28, 2009
Haris, it seems the number is now 1,806.
http://jelas.info/2009/08/27/strange-death-in-kuala-kangsar-police-quarters/
Clifford,
Not yet sure if this was a death in custody case
cctv
September 2, 2009
thank