Former human resources minister M Kulasegaran has proposed that the government use the National Trust Fund (Kwan) to expedite the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
This is in light of a public uproar over the death of A Ganapathy - who was hospitalised and later died after being in police custody for two weeks.
“If the government can evoke the Emergency Ordinance to make the amendment that allows it to utilise Kwan for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, why can't it immediately do the same to set up the IPCMC?
“How many Malaysians need to die before the government realises the absolute need for the IPCMC?
“The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government should do all it can to ensure this does not happen again,” said the Ipoh Barat MP in a statement today.
PN will be spending RM5 billion from Kwan for vaccine procurement (RM3 billion) and the national Covid-19 immunisation programme (RM2 billion).
The move was heavily criticised by two former finance ministers - Lim Guan Eng and Najib Abdul Razak.
Both questioned why Putrajaya was using more than the RM3 billion it allocated in Budget 2021 for vaccines.
Kulasegaran also called for an inquiry into Ganapathy’s death.
“Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, who will be our new inspector-general of police on May 4, can do the right thing by immediately ordering for an independent open probe or court inquiry to take place.
“That would set Acryl on the right path.
“Every life, no matter of what race, is important. It is high time that the government and the police recognise this fact,” the DAP politician added.
A cow’s milk trader with two young children, Ganapathy was arrested by Gombak police on Feb 24 to assist with investigations into his brother, a wanted man.
On March 8, the 40-year-old was admitted to the Selayang Hospital intensive care unit. He died on April 18.
His autopsy concluded that he had died from injuries inflicted on his legs and shoulders.
Before his death, Ganapathy’s mother S Thanaletchumy lodged a police report claiming her son had been beaten with a rubber hose while in police custody.
She alleged her son’s leg had to be amputated due to the beatings.
Ganapathy was said to be healthy at the time of his arrest aside from a history of diabetes and heart problems.
Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe has since refuted allegations that Ganapathy was assaulted while in police custody. He also denied the death was a “racial issue”. He further disclosed that traces of methamphetamines were found in Ganapathy's blood.
An investigation into the death is ongoing.
Arifai also reportedly warned the public against commenting or racialising Ganapathy’s death to anger others.
This was amidst the rise of the hashtag #JusticeForGanapathy on social media, where many have been discussing instances of alleged police brutality, especially against Malaysian Indians. - Mkini
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