Set up inquest into Ganapathy’s death in custody, Batu Kawan MP tells home minister

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — A DAP elected representative has called for Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to answer to the latest reported death in police custody after damning autopsy reports showed injuries inflicted on his legs and shoulders.

Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto said that it has been 10 days since Ganapathy’s death and there has been no statement from the home minister on conducting an inquiry or even an inquest.

“Instead, Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon on Ganapathy’s death,” she said.

Kasthuri said that it was alarming that the statistics from January 2020 to September 2020 showed that nine people have died in police custody, 296 in prison and 30 in immigration depots.

“Nine custodial deaths. That is one every single month,” she said, adding that this was despite assurances to improve conditions like  managing inmates who are unwell, increased patrolling around cells at night, preparing treatment rooms for sick inmates and medical officers as well as increased number of staff or officers to manage inmates.

“Where is the Key Performance Index for these pledges that were made by the Home Ministry through a Parliamentary reply? Or was it lip service or merely a non-binding Parliamentary reply to Members of Parliament?” she asked

In a Parliamentary reply last August 2020, 684 lockups all over the country would be equipped with CCTVs but there is no news as of this minute on the status of these CCTVs. These rented CCTVs were approved in the 2020 Budget under special approval by the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) and is in the tender process.

“It is almost May in 2021 and there is no official statement on the status of the CCTVs for the 684 lockups in the country,” she said.

She said Hamzah was not adverse to making statements on the subject of migrants and refugees — most recently having admitted to a voice recording of him discussing senior police appointments — but was surprisingly silent on this issue.

“Malaysians are demanding for an inquest into the custodial death of Ganapathy and Malaysians, in solidarity with the family of Ganapathy have a right to know what happened in those crucial moments that led to his painful death and on the status of these 684 CCTVs for police lockups all over the country.

“Be accountable, honourable and respectful to the demands of the family of Ganapathy and Malaysians at large who are calling for an end to custodial deaths and the setting up of a commission,” she said.

Ganapathy, a cow’s milk trader, was arrested on February 24 to assist in investigations into one of his brothers. On March 8, police informed his family that Ganapathy had been released, and had been admitted to Selayang Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

During his stay, Ganapathy was confirmed to have kidney problems, and his leg had to be amputated as well.

On April 18, Ganapathy died at Selayang Hospital. He leaves behind two children aged five and seven. The autopsy report by the Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s Pathology Department revealed to the family that he died from injuries to his legs and shoulders.