Cops to question two deputy ministers

PETALING JAYA: Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said police would record the statements of two deputy ministers in connection with the morgue incident in which the body of A. Kugan, who died in detention, was tampered with.

He said the post-mortem showed that Kugan, a suspected car thief who was being questioned at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya, died of liquid in his lungs.

DCP Khalid had earlier vowed there would be no cover-up in the investigation into the death.
However, on Tuesday, Kugan’s family and members of the public allegedly barged into the Serdang Hospital mortuary where the body was being kept, ripped off his shirt, moved his body and took some photographs.

Kugan, who was detained on Jan 15 on suspicion of being involved in stealing luxury cars in Sungai Chua, Kajang, and was brought to the Taipan police station on Tuesday where he suddenly collapsed and died while being questioned.

He had asked for a glass of water and threw up after drinking, then collapsed. The policemen present immediately summoned a doctor from a nearby clinic to examine Kugan, who was pronounced dead minutes later.

In KLANG, the two deputy ministers said their presence was merely part of their job, reports WANI MUTHIAH.

Deputy Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator T. Murugiah and Datuk S.K. Devamany said members of the public had demanded they be at the mortuary.
“I received a call at about 11pm. The caller said it was my responsibility to be there as a public servant,” said Murugiah.

Murugiah added when he arrived at the hospital at about midnight, the crowd berated him over what had happened to Kugan.

He added he had kept quiet and listened to the angry words as his main intention of being there was to calm the situation.

“I also consoled the deceased’s family and relatives. I assured them the police would investigate the matter,” said Murugiah.

When contacted, Devamany said he arrived at the mortuary at about 1.15am after receiving calls from MIC Youth members about the incident.

“I am an elected representative chosen by the people to serve them, therefore I was doing my duty by being there,” said Devamany.

He said when he arrived, Kugan’s remains were at the holding area inside the mortuary.
“Once there, I spoke to the aggrieved family and consoled them before calling the hospital director to come and explain the post-mortem procedure.

“I also assured them that justice will be served,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/22/nation/20090122122114&sec=nation

seals: At least these ER (elected representative) knows their role. As usual whistle blowers in Malaysia will get arrested/questioned by Police. This clearly sends a wrong signal to the people how the police being used to institute fear. If the hospital was clear its action, the police and hospital should have called in the family and related people as soon as he died. What the police/hospital has to hide? And it is clear from the photos he has suffered enough physically.