MIC’s muted response to deaths irks members

MIC members want the party president to be more vocal is addressing the recent spate of deaths in police custody

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel’s muted response to custodial deaths is riling-up party leaders and members alike. They want him to be more action oriented rather than issuing watered down press statements.

“Grassroot leaders are members are thoroughly disappointed with him. They want the president to be more vocal,” a party central working committee (CWC) member who did not want to be named told FMT.

He said although there were three reported custodial death cases in the past two weeks, Palanivel could only issue a press statement wanting the government to investigate the deaths.

To make matters worse, the president is also keeping mum on a call by party strategy director, S Vell Paari, who wanted Palanivel to summon an emergency CWC meeting to discuss the issue.

“Last week, Vell Paari, who is also a CWC member, sent a (sms) message to secretary-general A Sakthivel requesting for an emergency CWC meeting.

“Instead of replying to the request, Sakthivel said that the death of N Dhamendran (who died while in police custody two weeks ago) was discussed at the cabinet meeting,” said the highly placed source.

He said although it was right for the cabinet to discuss the matter, the MIC being the largest Indian based political party in the country, should have taken a stronger stand on the matter.

Press statements not good enough

There have been 2,571 deaths in police custody between 1999 and 2009.

The source said the case of C Sugumaran, who died in police custody a few months ago was also discussed in the cabinet but until today no solution had been found to the problem.

“MIC taking this matter to the cabinet is just a political stunt to pacify the Indians. Palanivel has been using this line countless times but without any tangible result. How long is he going to cheat?” asked the source.

Sugumaran was allegedly beaten by policemen and the public after being handcuffed and waiting to be taken to the police station. Sugumaran succumbed to injuries and died at the scene in the incident in Hulu Langat.

His family members are still waiting for a second autopsy by independent experts, after the first post mortem report by the Serdang Hospital attributed the cause of death to heart attack.

The party source said MIC must take drastic action to curb deaths in custody as 80% of such cases involved Indians.

“It is not good enough issuing press statements when the people want action.

Late last week, Palanivel said a press statement on the matter was enough as the issue was being handled by the authorities.

Dhamendran died at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters lock-up on May 21, followed by R Jamesh Ramesh who was found dead at the Penang police headquarters on May 26 while 42-year-old former engineer P Karunanithi died while in police custody in Tampin on May 30.