By Wong Choon Mei
Amid a blaze of public anger and increasingly strident calls from the opposition, led by Anwar Ibrahim, for fair and independent investigation into the death of 22-year old police detainee, Kugan Ananthan, Malaysia’s attorney-general has decided to reclassify the case as murder.
Given the police’s defensive stance and reluctance to allow a second post-mortem, the surprise recapitulation was cautiously welcomed by some civil groups.
“We hope from here on, Malaysian police will adhere to international standards. They are supposed to set an example, they represent and enforce the law. As such, their behaviour and conduct must be beyond reproach and acceptable to the people,” said Ramon Navaratnam, president of Transparency International Malaysia.
“After all, why should the people abide by the law if the police themselves don’t bother to.”
Keeping up the pressure
Kugan, a suspected car thief, died five days after being arrested by police in Subang Jaya this week. His family claim he was tortured, and photos and video footage of his body have shown signs of extensive bruising.
The police, initially adamant that he died of ‘water in his lungs’, have ordered an investigation to appease the public uproar that ensued.
Accompanied by Indian politicians from both sides of the political divide, Kugan’s family handed over a memorandum addressed to the Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan, demanding that a second and independently-carried-out autopsy be done.
Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who himself was badly battered during police detention, also stepped up the pressure, promising to take the matter to Parliament.
“The repeat of such incidents will definitely erode the people’s confidence in the credibility of the police force as a security agency,” Anwar said.
“To restore the people’s confidence, we demand an independent and transparent investigation body be formed to investigate the death of Kugan Ananthan.”
Under scrutiny by the international community
There were also some who believed the AG would not have reclassified the case as murder if the country’s human rights record was not due to be scrutinised by the United Nations Human Rights Council next month.
“We have lost all faith and confidence that the police can conduct a fair investigation,” said Parti Sosialis Malaysia secretary-general S Arutchelvan.
“The failure of the government to immediately redress this issue would be seen as a blatant act of negligence on the part of the government to protect its citizen.”
Arutchelvan urged the government to immediately form an independent police complaints and misconduct commission.
Police reform bill to be tabled in February
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, due to step down in March, has promise to table new law in Parliament next month, that should see the establishment of a special complaints commission to monitor and investigate complaints of misconduct by the police and other law enforcement officers.
Nevertheless, civil groups and opposition politicians are worried the outgoing PM will not be able to garner enough support from his own political coalition to push through an effective and long-overdue solution.
They believe the 68-year old is likely to rush through another watered-down version that will not capture key recommendations of a 2005 Royal Commission of Inquiry on police abuse of power and corruption.
Civil groups have previously said the independence of any monitoring commission was all important.
In particular, they are concerned about who will be the commissioners that sit on the decision-making panel, who would appoint and dismiss them, and also if the commission would be empowered to oversee the police investigation into complaints.
They also said the appointment of the Inspector-General of Police to such a commission, as was previously proposed, would skewer its independence and defeat the purpose of such a bureau.
malaysia government and bodies are murderers… many has been killed at police stations, army camps, detention centres, jungle, national service… also alantuya by nrazak, etc…
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Bumi Ownz U Reply:
January 26th, 2009 at 11:17 am
True – If Malaysia condones the murder of its own people.. what can you do?
The world is classed as those who wish to prosper, or those who wish to kill their own people.
If you look at all the economic super powers… they are the ones who have united to compete economically agaisnt other nations…
If you look at many islamic and communist nations.. they are too busy squabbling for power internally… which in many cases has lead to the murder and detention of their own citizens..
To all Malaysians… How Boleh can this nation be when these human rights abuses are still rampant…. Wawasan 2020? I doubt true developed world status will eventuate… despite the BN government saying it is on track…its a load of laughable baloney.
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YB DSAI !
You are the only person who can fight for justice.
The only person the indians can rely on who can speak
in the parliment is none other than you.Any indian leader’s
opinions either from BN or PR always go into the deaf ears.
From the promises you have made in the March 8 PU12
to uplift the indian society,now is the right time for you to
“gegarkan” the parliment. DSAI ! please help the poor indians
who is alaways marginalised in any development.Nobody can deny
this DS.
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YB DSAI !
From the records shown so far 80 indians have died in
police lockups.Many have died of stray killing by police.
We are always anak yatim piatu in this country.We only
hope this will never happen for sure when youn take over
the helm of Malaysia which is going to happen soon.
I pray everyday to the almighty for you take ovrer the
power at the soonest.
All the best !!!
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nanpaknya para menteri UMNO sering kutuk US dalam isu tahanan di guatomalo , tetapi dalam negara kita budaya yang sama telah belaku ini sah UMNO sering tunding jari pada orang tetapi kain sendiri koyak tak di sulam. Awas UMNO negara luar perhatikan kita , jika taraf pihak berkuasa kita tercorot jangan nak melenting pula.
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I wonder why since our Law Enforcement Agencies are so at the bottom of the barrel that nothing has been done to revamp it.
Sighhhhh…..
Another sad day for the people.
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justice 4 kugan
postpone his funeral to the eve of thaipusam sat 7th feb 2009
THEN,we will get our ipcmc after all
ANWAR, u r our only hope
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see my dear policeman what have you done to the late kugan…now all the indian of malaysia are coming after you…and pity to anwar..they all depending/hoping that you will do something about..it.
QUE SERA SERA WHAT EVER WILL BE WILL BE…..
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satu lagi drama berat selepas hindraf 5 detainees. Let’s see how the gomen is going to solve this one . Najib you are one misfit.Somebody up there (5th flr) sure don’t want u.
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Dear All & YB DSAI
Relating to Kugan death, i as an M’sia Indian girl who was thrown out of scholl & terminated from work & college for supporting ANWAR from day 1… deeply beleive that its a good lesson for INDIANS.. for we deserve it..
Why? because when Our 5 freedom fighters are detained in ISA, we were busy celebrating depavalli, going for concert, rasing movie ticket sale, shopping, having open house, playing fire works & worst attending OPEN house by political parties..
So what DAM or blady JUSTICE or FREEDOM are we talking about… ( as ex-
why must the goverment or anybody take us serious.. when everthing is normal…
Where is the patriotism of INDIAN’s & where has the fighting spirit gone???
Please ASK yourself this question, will there be any celebration if the 5 HINDRAF brother were your family members… We should be shame of ourself ?
There have always been cases where Indians been mis treated & murdered by goverment personell or even gilrs been molested.. There will always be a temporary noise & fuss,,, after few months majority will forget & continue your daily life asive nothing happen…
Please lah anne & akka… there nothing much can be done by PKR,DAP or GOD,
we must instill the true fighting power, that what it ment by MAKKAL SAKTHI rite “PEOPLE POWER” why not you say “PKR power or DAP power”
1st change the attitude and support each another.. “mogok” peacefully by patronising Indian bussiness, avoid any celebration “thaipussam,depavali,new year countdown & ext” that the only we we can make an impact
We no need to shut dowm airport as Thai people did for even in 30 years malaysian will never have that guts,, but we must use our brains & hearth,, only then even YB DSAI or THE SUPREME God can help us…
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