Ramkarpal calls for inquest into death of 14-year-old student

 The former deputy law and institutional reform minister says an inquest will determine the cause of the teenager’s death and provide closure to her family.

Police are investigating possible harassment linked to a 14-year-old student’s death in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 18. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA:

An inquest should be held into the death of a 14-year-old student in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, given the suspicious circumstances, says former deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh.

The Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP national legal bureau chairman said since the girl’s mother alleged that her daughter had complained about being bullied, an inquest would determine the cause of the teenager’s death and provide closure to her family.

Ramkarpal said there had been previous cases involving deaths or serious injuries linked to bullying, including those of T Nhaveen and Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain in 2017, Muhammad Alif Sultan Alias in 2016 and the brutal assault of a schoolgirl in Sarawak in April 2014.

“Every effort should be taken to prevent such incidents from occurring again,” he said.

“This is a matter of public interest, and I call on Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus to state whether an inquest will be held.”

Earlier today, Fadil said a 51-year-old man, the boyfriend of the deceased girl’s mother, had been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting the deceased’s older sister.

The arrest comes as police are investigating possible harassment linked to the teenager’s death on Aug 18.

The girl was rushed to Kuala Lumpur Hospital after her mother made a distress call from their home on Jalan Langkawi. She died while receiving treatment.

Police opened a criminal investigation after receiving a report from the girl’s mother on Aug 19 and have since recorded over 90 statements. - FMT