Singham is a loss, govt must re-open Kugan case – MIC

A senior MIC official said today that he hoped Judge Datuk V.T. Singham was not 'coerced' into early retirement. 

"I sincerely hope he was not pressured to leave," said the party's treasurer-general Datuk Jaspal Singh. 

"But if he had decided it himself, then the judiciary has lost a great man. Singham opted for early retirement although he still had a year to go. Jaspal sang praises of the 65-year-old judge who found the IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar liable for detainee A. Kugan's death four years ago. 

"His decision showed that he was not afraid of anyone and that the judiciary is independent. Malaysia has a great need of such principled judges," he added. 

Jaspal also urged the Government to reopen Kugan's case as not of all his killers have been charged with his death. 

"Only one person was charged and now he is out on bail. The judge said it was highly probable that more than one person was involved in torturing him. 

"So, what happened to the rest? He called on the home minister to keep his promise made in Parliament, where he had said that the government will not protect anyone implicated in deaths in custody. 

"We can no longer accept or tolerate custodial deaths. On the setting up of a body to investigate police misconduct, Jaspal said whether it was the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) or the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC), the police cannot "police themselves". 

"It must be an independent body. In light of the landmark judgment, the cabinet must relook the effectiveness of the EAIC.” 

The EAIC was set up in 2011 following a recommendation by a 2005 Royal Commission of Inquiry into deaths in lock-ups. A total of 19 enforcement agencies, including the police, fall under the purview of the Commission. 

However, in delivering his judgement on Wednesday, Singham recommended the setting up of IPCMC immediately. 

"The government must act swiftly to address public outrage over this case. Public trust is easily lost and hard to recoup," said Jaspal.