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Engineer P. Karuna Nithi, 3rd Indian man to die in custody in 11 days!
N. Dharmendran, 32, Indah Water employee, dead in police custody
Violence and Death at the Hands of the Police
C Sugumar, unburied, still awaiting a 2nd autopsy….
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Malaysiakini
Several NGOs have called for action against police officers who spread misinformation on the causes of deaths in custody, including against Kuala Lumpur CID chief Ku Chin Wah.
They were unhappy with the police for issuing conflicting statements on the causes, thus eroding public confidence in the police.
In Ku’s example, he said death-in-custody victim N Dhamendran died of breathing difficulties at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
However, a Kuala L:umpur Hospital pathologist found Dhamendran to have died of blunt force trauma, with staples attached to his body as well.
“Coming out and giving conflicting statements… you can’t say that,” said MIC strategy director S Vell Paari said today of recent police statements on custodial deaths.
This issue was raised at a meeting this morning between eight NGOs and Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Paul Low, at which Vell Paari one of those attending.
‘Punish police officers who lie about custodial deaths’
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Malaysiakini
“We will discuss what happened during the cabinet meeting. I was told that the cabinet had a lengthy discussion on the matter,” Vell Paari (right) told Malaysiakini yesterday.
On Tuesday, Low initiated a meeting with several Indian-led or Indian-based NGOs, including the BN coalition member MIC, to source feedback on deaths in police custody, before making a presentation to the cabinet yesterday.
Vell Paari said the matter should not be seen as a communal issue and that groups representing other ethnic groups would also be invited to the briefing tomorrow.
“There are Malays and Chinese who have died in the custody of law enforcers as well. Anyone who wants to attend this briefing should let us know,” he said.
…
Several Indian-based NGOs have threatened to hold a street demonstration to press the government to address this issue.
However, they will only decide on whether to proceed with the event after Low briefs them on the discussions in the cabinet and the position the government takes on the matter.
Vell Paari has also made a similar threat to go to the streets to protest.
Paul Low to brief NGOs on custodial deaths tomorrow
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Free Malaysia Today
MIC’s muted response to deaths irks members
MIC members want the party president to be more vocal is addressing the recent spate of deaths in police custody
PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel’s muted response to custodial deaths is riling-up party leaders and members alike. They want him to be more action oriented rather than issuing watered down press statements.
“Grassroot leaders are members are thoroughly disappointed with him. They want the president to be more vocal,” a party central working committee (CWC) member who did not want to be named told FMT.
He said although there were three reported custodial death cases in the past two weeks, Palanivel could only issue a press statement wanting the government to investigate the deaths.
To make matters worse, the president is also keeping mum on a call by party strategy director, S Vell Paari, who wanted Palanivel to summon an emergency CWC meeting to discuss the issue.
“Last week, Vell Paari, who is also a CWC member, sent a (sms) message to secretary-general A Sakthivel requesting for an emergency CWC meeting.
“Instead of replying to the request, Sakthivel said that the death of N Dhamendran (who died while in police custody two weeks ago) was discussed at the cabinet meeting,” said the highly placed source.
He said although it was right for the cabinet to discuss the matter, the MIC being the largest Indian based political party in the country, should have taken a stronger stand on the matter.
MIC’s muted response to deaths irks members
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Malaysiakini
The party’s director of strategy S Vell Paari said he will hold a meeting with other NGOs this week to discuss where and when to hold the street protest.He said the planned protest was to express disappointment with the authorities.He said: “If a street rally is needed to help set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), so be it.
“Death in police custody is becoming rampant but such cases are often quickly forgotten until there is another death.”
Vell Paari said the MIC has two representatives in cabinet and they have a duty to ask the Prime Minister to act.
He also took a swipe at MIC president G Palanivel (right) and deputy Dr S Subramaniam.
“Why must you say the government must do something each time there is an incident like this?
“Aren’t you also the government? Why make noise outside but fail to take up the issue in cabinet?”
MIC is represented in cabinet by Palanivel (natural resources minister) and Subramaniam (health minister).
“You say MIC is the mother party for Indians but you can’t even take care of Indian boys who are dying in police lock-ups,” he said.
– The Malay Mail
Vell Paari goes after MIC top duo, plans protests
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I assume it’s Malay-on-Malay violence because we are constantly told that these institutions are ‘Malay’ institutions and because more often than not, the culprits behind non-Malay deaths in custody, specifically Indian deaths, are Indian police personnel. I am assuming the same applies to Malay deaths in custody.
Malaysiakini
“Police are inevitably corrupted. … Police always observe that criminals prosper. It takes a pretty dull policeman to miss the fact that the position of authority is the most prosperous criminal position available.”
– Frank Herbert (God Emperor of Dune)
Malay-on-Malay violence
Do not make this a racial issue, say pro-establishment partisans.
However as I wrote in the Kugan piece, “The Kugan case like most flashpoints when it comes to the PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) or any of the enforcement branches of the state reveals simmering race and class tensions that are so often glossed over in this country.”
Bearing in mind that I dispute the official statistics when it comes to non-Malay deaths in custody, especially when it concerns the Indian population, what of the Malay deaths in custody? My pro-establishment friends are quick to remind me that non-Malay deaths are always played up in the pro-opposition alternative (sic) media. Who cares about the Malays, they ask?
Certainly not Utusan Malaysia, I say. That bastion of Malay rights defenders, which sees fit to demonise every other community in this country but remain strangely silent on Malay-on-Malay violence when it comes to deaths in custody.
I assume it’s Malay-on-Malay violence because we are constantly told that these institutions are ‘Malay’ institutions and because more often than not, the culprits behind non-Malay deaths in custody, specifically Indian deaths, are Indian police personnel. I am assuming the same applies to Malay deaths in custody.
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Sudah 9 mati di bawah seliaan polis tahun ini
| Harakahdaily, | 03 Jun 2013 |
(Senarai mereka yang mati di bawah seliaan polis sebelum kes Karuna)
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THE CALL FOR A RALLY
“Political differences must be set aside for this issue. This is also not a racial matter. It is a Malaysian issue and Malaysians of all races must come together.
“We must send a strong message to the authorities that we do not condone such violence, and the police must learn to investigate crimes as opposed to beating suspects to death,” he added.
Barathidasan said the protest wold also highlight the need to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
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Free Malaysia Today
Custodial deaths: Street rally mulled
WargaAman and S Vell Paari are considering holding a rally to drive home the point that custodial deaths cannot be tolerated and that the IPCMC must be formed.
PETALING JAYA: A MIC leader and a coalition of Indian-based NGOs are mulling a street rally to protest against custodial deaths.
Speaking to FMT, WargaAman secretary-general S Barathidasan said that the idea was mooted by MIC strategy director S Vell Paari.
“We held a discussion on the matter and both WargaAman and Vell Paari agree that custodial deaths are becoming rampant and require drastic action. If we can hold rallies for political, religious and racial reasons, why not this?” he added.
Barathidasan said that WargaAman would meet with other NGOs and invite them to participate in the protest as well.
He stressed that both WargaAman and Vell Paari also wanted this to be a bi-partisan effort, with the involvement of Pakatan Rakyat politicians as well.
…..
“This is simply disgusting. Are the lives of Indians in this country so cheap and worthless that at least one Indian should die in police custody every other day?” he asked.
“During the arrest, the detainees were in good health, after being remanded in a police lock-up, the families are informed that the detainees died of heart failure, due to illness and so on,” he added.
Barathidasan said since Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was appointed home minister, there have been a spate of custodial deaths.
“He has failed in his duty, Zahid must resign if he cannot solve this problem,” he added.
Custodial deaths: Street rally mulled
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