'Do what past IGPs failed to, ensure inquest for all custodial deaths'

 

Newly minted Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani should break from the past by ensuring all custodial deaths get an inquest, said Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang.

The DAP stalwart called on the IGP to do what his predecessors "failed" to achieve while heading the police force. 

"Acryl Sani must succeed where seven IGPs before him have failed – to transform the police into a world-class police force and implement the proposal of the Police Royal Commission 16 years ago, especially to hold an inquiry into every case of police death in custody," Lim said in a statement today. 

This follows recent cases of custodial death including that of S Sivabalan and A Ganapathy.

Lim noted that the Police Royal Commission had in 2005 found "unacceptable high incidences of deaths in custody" and that authorities failed to hold inquests in most of the cases.

The commission also proposed inquiries must be held by a magistrate in all custodial deaths within a month of the reported deaths.

Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani

Despite the recommendation, Lim said past IGPs have been hostile to them, including the implementation of an independent police complaints and misconduct commission.

"Let Sivabalan and Ganapathy not be the last persons to die in police custody without a full inquiry.

"Let Acryl Sani announce that every case of death in police custody will result in an inquest, starting with the two cases of Sivabalan and Ganapathy, or must the new IGP get the green light from the prime minister or home minister?

"If so, let the prime minister and home minister declare their stand on the matter," he added. - Mkini