KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27: There have been too many questions surrounding the cases of prisoners facing injuries, getting hospitalised for serious injuries sustained in prisons as well as custodial deaths and all these must be investigated properly, said the head of a non governmental organisation here today.
Urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to intervene in the matter involving the Home Ministry, Tamilar Kural Malaysia president David Marshel said there have been Royal Commissions of Inquiry into various issues that have affected the country, and this should also apply for the fatal incidents that have taken place in some prisons in the country.
David, who handed over a memorandum to the prime minister on behalf of the family members of several SOSMA (Security Offences( Special Measures) Act 2012) detainees who had gathered near the Parliament grounds today, also questioned the use of SOSMA for criminal acts.
“We are not asking for all detainees of SOSMA to be released. We are also not questioning the use of SOSMA on genuine cases of terrorism or national threat but question arises when the act is used on those suspected of criminal acts.”
He also said that the recent statement of Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in Parliament that a group of more than three people involved in an organised criminal act could be hauled up under Section 130B of security offences was questionable.
He said there were many sections under the Malaysian Penal Code with which those detained can be charged with according to the crimes they have committed.
Pointing out several custodial deaths in the past and more recently, David also reiterated that it was not a racial matter as severe injuries and deaths in custody had involved all races.
He urged for an audit of all prisons in the country, to investigate what is really happening in these prisons where serious cases of beatings and deaths have taken place.
–WE