A Gov’t without a conscience: Police Delay Kugan’s case


PKR lawmakers flayed the government for dragging its feet over the Kugan Ananthan murder case, where the 22-year old suspected car thief had suddenly and violently died while in police custody.

Said Batu MP Tian Chua: “Whether or not they are investigating the doctor, whether he breached his ethics or trust of the people is not the issue and it is not our problem, it is the government’s.

“My question is the status of the case and when they are going to proceed with the prosecution of the suspects.”

Like many others in the country who were horrified by the slew of pictures revealing a badly beaten and bruised corpse, Tian and his colleagues are frustrated by the way the police and the Attorney-General have been giving his family and the public the runaround.

Said Subang MP Sivarasa Rasiah: “When you assault a person and you are reckless about it, even without the intent of hurting the person, you could be charged with murder.”

A Malaysia without conscience

Kugan died in police custody at the USJ, Subang post in January.

The police initially claimed that he collapsed from “fluid in his lungs”and refused to give permission for a second post-mortem.

Following a huge public outcry, the authorities relented and a second autopsy was carried by an independent doctor, whose findings showed that Kugan was tortured and beaten until his kidneys collapsed and he died.

Tian and Sivarasa were speaking to reporters at the sidelines of Parliament after receiving a written reply from the Prime Minister’s office. Tian had asked why there was no progress in the case.

According Nazri Aziz, the Minister in the PM’s Department, the AG was still waiting for the police to complete their investigation.

He admitted a police inquiry into the autopsy conducted by the first doctor - Abdul Karim of Serdang Hospital - has been postponed from June 19 to August 21.

Said Nazri in his written reply: “The A-G has not begun prosecution as he wants all evidence to be obtained without any omissions.

“Only after considering all the evidence will the A-G make a decision on the prosecution.”

But his answer failed to satisfy his fellow lawmakers. Neither will other Malaysians, especially Kugan’s family, be appeased.

“This means they are not seriously investigating a crime that happens in confinement,” said Tian.
SK
24/06/09
mi1: What else proof the world needs that Malaysian indians tortured and killed in cell.

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