Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Kugan's death - act swiftly against the culprits

A swift investigation is absolutely necessary if the police wish to regain public confidence over the controversy surrounding the death of A.Kugan, who died while in police custody on Jan 20. The Malaysian Insider, quoting sources, has claimed that Kugan died of external injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

If that true, then the people responsible should be charged soon. The police have removed 11 constables and lance corporals from the police station while IGP Musa Hassan has given an assurance that an indepth investigation would be conducted. The issue needs proper handling before it becomes a political problem.

It hasn't helped with two Indian BN politicians being rapped for turning up to appease the family members of the deceased. It's their duty as elected representatives to be there and they shouldn't be accused of tampering with evidence.

The core issue is the death of Kugan. It doesn't matter if he was a car thief as that has to be proven in the courts. But his death while in police custody is a very serious matter. The police and government must be seen to be fair, especially in booking the culprits, even if they are policemen.

They must not allow the slightest doubt, particularly through their statements or comments, that they are biased. Malaysians of all races are watching closely, not just the Indian community. It's not a racial issue and shouldn't be one but a question of fair play and justice.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here again, we have an execution before trial. When are these goons in the police force going to learn?
The problem is the IGP, CPOs and the ruling party is always shielding these blokes, who acted like they have a license to kill. If this Kugan's case did not surface, this practise will undoubtedly, be not the last.
Again, this Home Minister was more interested with the presence of the two Deputy Ministers, who were just doing what was expected of them...peoples' representative. Surely, if we get this sort of quality for the position as HM, what can we expect!

raj raman said...

All talk only.
The PDRM control by warlords.

As long as the warlords in power,we only can make noise.

After few months all quite down.
Thanks WCW for bringimg up this issue.
RajRaman

Anonymous said...

Dear Datuk Wong.

Please bear in mind that this has never been a racial issue. It is the authorities that try to make it one.

It has already become a political issue when the Home Minister and CPO threatens elected members of parliament who are also deputy Ministers. I is a political issue when they start to intimidate member of the family. It is a political issue when the CPO obstruct family member from getting the facts of the death. Remember, it was difficult to get approval for the second post- mortem.

It is a political problem now.

Higher level ministers i.e PM or DPM must come out personally on this issue, to calm things down.

Leaving this to Home Minster and the CPO will deteriorate the current tension.

Anonymous said...

Spot on comments there Datuk. And as far as justice is to be served, it must also be seen. The perpretators of Kugan's death must be punished to the full extent of the law and in my opinion, this is the nail in the coffin for any movement against a watchdog of the police. Call it IPCMC or internal affairs, Kugan's death shows the police need policing themselves.

Anonymous said...

They tried to cover it up.
They're angry that this case has come to light. They're trying to scare the public about talk of riots & racism.

Investigate the fellow who conducted the first post-mortem. Water in the lungs? Someone obviously must have given the order to try and "bury" this case.
The second post-mortem reveals death due to blunt force trauma.

BlueMoon said...

Bro Wong, I'm in full agreement that Kugan's death is not a racial issue. In pursuing this case, the IGP has promised that he will not let any stones left untouched. Unfortunately before the police has completed their investigation, we have MIC goons wanting to become champion. As usual they turned a very straighforward criminal case into a racially motivated issue. The act of the two Deputy Ministers are not only acceptable but also inflammatory. Their racist feature manifest when they turned blind eyes on fact leading to Kugan's arrest. Yes, he died during detention but he was in the first place caught for allegedly stealing a car.

romerz said...

And I agree with Anonymous of 8.37pm since this is sad incident is nothing about race unless you see all things with racist eyes!

Seeing ghosts where there are none!

http://romerz.blogspot.com/2009/01/seeing-ghosts-where-there-are-none.html

Bangsa Cina Malaysia said...

HUDUD LAW FOR POLIS DI RAJA MALAYSIA .
CRIME NOWDAYS ARE TOO SERIOUS.
EVEN PDRM IS NOT SPARED.

lanaibeach said...

Police brutality
It has been many decades
Even the past few years
Death in police custody
All wrapped up quickly

Kugan case tipped the scale
Finally the people feel the police never learn
Betraying our trust entrusted to them
How safe one can be when police do the opposite?

Flexing muscles immune to its laws
Are they above the regulations?
Beginning Selangor CPO said something else
Now AG classified it as a crime………..
Suddenly we find the IGP wants a transparent investigation
Are they trying to soothe the nerves of the angry people?

In my old kampong of decades of ago
I witnessed the police whacked up suspects
When they put them in Black Maria
My kampong friends who ran foul of the law
Of involvement with gangs

Even my own brother-in-law admitted
The police do some torturing
Like hitting with rubber pipes
Sitting on block of cold ice
Slapping on faces and hitting on heads
So as to extract information
Desperately needed to solve a case

The police need a clean up quickly
Of decades of abusing the system
Those police officers committing murder
In the police station have no excuse to plead
Under their watch and custody
A person died defenseless………
The public has a right to be angry
A right to know the whole truth

Yet our PM and DPM keeping silence
The Botak HM brewing wrong signals
The time to change is inching closer
The people will hit the gong
Change the whole system!

Anonymous said...

Blue Moon,

You shouold be sent to the moon, I hope. Don't you know the age-old fact - Everyone is innocent before they are convicted? And car thefts don't get death penalty, anyway. BY THE WAY, BLUEMOON, HE DID NOT DIE IN DETENTION, HE WAS MURDERED!

You may only feel like the rest of Malaysians - ouraged, that is - if you or your loved ones are treated the way Kugan was.

Arrest and convictions are for people to be rehabilitated, not killed.

You must either be a cop, BN pilitician or a son of a cop, Bluemoon.

I hope God will bless you enough to make you realise that you had actually condoned the killing and condemned the people fighting for justice.

As far as I am concerned, if this had not happened, there would have been a massive cover-up. Including the possibility of throwing the body into a river and claiming that he tried to escape.

Well done all MPs - PR and BN.

FOR MANKIND.

Anonymous said...

susah sangat ke nak check datuk?
i though our cops are said to be among the best in the world. or do we need to fly in horatio caine and his team from miami to identify the cause and culprit?

let's all get our priorities right here.
1. the man was a suspected car thief. he wasn't arrested because of his race. frankly if he was suspected of stealing my car i would personally beat him up.
2. man died in police detention
3. i agree with datuk that however does not give the cops the right to beat him to death and this is a serious matter.
4. find the sobs responsible and book them. boleh pukul tapi janganlah sampai mati.
5. case closed amicably.
6. it ain't anything racial so be careful with the comments.

apa yang susah sangat? it's stupid to let something like incite racial disharmony or be misconstrued as one.

Anonymous said...

wcw,

what about the pathologist who gave the seemingly false report? should that person not be charged too if it is proven that he/she has lied in the post mortem?

Anonymous said...

why do they look up so much on this car thief?
Tell me again, how would you treat a criminal if they refuse to cooperate with you?
He doesn't deserve so much attention as he is only a car thief!
I don't think even the PM will have that much police force 'guide' you until your graveyard.

Anonymous said...

Dear Ah Wong,
Well, how be seen fair when those 11 constables are not suspended pending for investigations. They are still working. Yes, they are given desk jobs but the fact is that they are still part of police force. They can be given "gardening leaves".
In addition to this, That Khalid fella, CPO of Selangor at first denied the second post mortem. It's unprofessional, uncalled for and unethical. Plus, the comment that the close ones of Kugan barging into the morgue in an agressive manner doesn't help.
Seriously, these folks including our dear Hamid fella should go for PR course. No wonder Murugiah complained. (Oops, that's too bad for BN).
Which reminds of the some stories 50 years of How Lim Yew Hock commited political suicide of harassing the leftist leaning singaporeans in Singapore. Gosh, it's a damn good way of shooting one's foot with one's guns.
Writings on the wall.....hmm.......

Regards,
looes74

ChengHo said...

Do not make it a political issue , this is a criminal and injustice issue if any.
The Deputy ministers were wrong by inciting mob rule. The deputy minister not even an elected members of parliment, they are an appointed senator?
Do not turn hero into villain or the other way around .

BlueMoon said...

Anonynmous 28/1, 4.40 pm

"Everyone is innocent before they are convicted? And car thefts don't get death penalty, anyway" and "HE DID NOT DIE IN DETENTION, HE WAS MURDERED!"

This is the best auta in action. One don't have to wait too long since the contradiction occured in two sentences. Precisely that a person is not guitly until the court found otherwise. It is for this reason I categorically stated reason for Kugan's detention - a SUSPECTED car theft and NOT a convicted criminal. But to claim that he has been murdered is like pulling the cart before the horse. How could Kugan be murdered when the court has yet to convene? How the murder could had happenend when the police has yet to complete the investigation? Mr. Anonymous your comment is very seditious not to mention slanderous. Are you willing to go to the court and prove that Kugan has been murdered? Of course you will not since you don't trust the police and the justice system here. I'm not suprise since an auta will not trust anyone but another auta. And the only time the auta is telling the truth is when he lies!

shankar~selina said...

Yo, Bluemoon.

You must be right, He must have beaten himself to death then while dying asked for a glass of water and he drowned. The police started any investigation until ordered by AG. The so called investigations results we water in the lungs, then told the parents that the body is at the hospital. You are so gullible or a card carrying racist. Words like sensitivity, sedition are getting old. Arrest me lah, If you dare. What justice? It is just us. Were you forced to write this nonsense? You are not a well read person or so it appears.

Latest: Police brutality:
'MACC officers punched and kicked me'
Hafiz Yatim | Jan 29, 09 2:49pm

While the dust has yet to settle on the Kugan Ananthan case, another allegation of abuse under detention has emerged.
MCPX

This time around, it is not the police but rather the newly-formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). And the complainant is an Umno Maran division committee member.

Anonymous said...

There is no standard procedure for police to obtain information form the suspect. Most of the time, they are beaten up by ther police and the suspect will be forced to admit to the crimes thought they may not have done it.
I suggest Musa Hassan look into this and have some control over his staff. Our Ketua Polis Negara seems to be weak and therefore many case of misuse of power by the police have happened.
I also suggest that Syed Hamid thinks before he talk. Doesn't seems to be competent to be a minister!

Anonymous said...

yes, this is a criminal issue.

do not politicize!

not all involved politics!

Anonymous said...

Shankar,

"He must have beaten himself to death then while dying asked for a glass of water and he drowned"

Kugan's family must be offfended reading your comment.