MP SPEAKS Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar can only regain public confidence that he is not complicit in the many deaths in police hands by coming clean and giving a full accounting of the custodial deaths of A Kugan and 230 others from 2000 until May 2013.
Or else, Khalid should honourably resign as head of the Royal Malaysian Police Force.
In a historic judgment on Wednesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled in a civil suit that Khalid was responsiblefor the death of detainee Kugan, who was physically tortured during interrogation by police four years ago.
High Court judge VT Singham, in allowing the negligence suit filed by Kugan's mother, said the injuries Kugan suffered could not have been done by one officer and that the senior officers could not plead ignorance.
The judge also reprimanded Khalid for trying to cover-up and suppress the truth to escape liability for Kugan's death in January 2009.
Can Malaysia afford to have an IGP to uphold the law when he has been ruled by the High Court as suppressing the truth, trying to cover up, being negligent and responsible for a custodial death?
Singham awarded Kugan's mother, Indra Nallathamby, RM 851,700 as damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment, misfeasance, and pain and suffering suffered by Kugan.
Or else, Khalid should honourably resign as head of the Royal Malaysian Police Force.In a historic judgment on Wednesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled in a civil suit that Khalid was responsiblefor the death of detainee Kugan, who was physically tortured during interrogation by police four years ago.
High Court judge VT Singham, in allowing the negligence suit filed by Kugan's mother, said the injuries Kugan suffered could not have been done by one officer and that the senior officers could not plead ignorance.
The judge also reprimanded Khalid for trying to cover-up and suppress the truth to escape liability for Kugan's death in January 2009.
Can Malaysia afford to have an IGP to uphold the law when he has been ruled by the High Court as suppressing the truth, trying to cover up, being negligent and responsible for a custodial death?
Singham awarded Kugan's mother, Indra Nallathamby, RM 851,700 as damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment, misfeasance, and pain and suffering suffered by Kugan.
Zahid Hamidi remains in denial mode
Despite court rulings such as this, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi continues to deny in Parliament that police brutality is the main cause of deaths in custody.Zahid said that 166 deaths in custody were due to illnesses, such as HIV, asthma, heart attack and others; 29 committed suicide, two died in fights among inmates while two detainees slipped and injured themselves in the lock-up before succumbing to their injuries.
Of those who had died in custody, 97 were Malays, followed by Indians (51), Chinese (49), foreigners (25) and other races (9).
Following the historic court victory of Indra (above), Zahid's claims that police brutality is not involved sounds completely hollow and ridiculous.
Zahid should take heed of the High Court's recommendation for the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).This because the BN government's choice, the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), has simply not been effective in preventing abuses of power and custodial deaths.
The EAIC can only make recommendations to the disciplinary authority of the relevant enforcement agency upon completion of its investigations.
The IPCMC would be able to prosecute and punish police personnel who abuse their powers. Or else, how many more must die before the IPCMC can be set up?
LIM GUAN ENG is the MP for Bagan, as well as the chief minister of Penang and DAP secretary-general.
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