DAP MP urges govt to probe 'wrong dead son' incident

DAP MP urges govt to probe 'wrong dead son' incident


PARLIAMENT | The government has been urged to conduct an independent investigation into the incident involving a family who was wrongfully informed of their son’s death in prison and almost cremated the body they brought home.

M Kulasegaran (Pakatan Harapan-Ipoh Barat) called on Putrajaya to take action against prison officers who were negligent in this incident and for putting two families involved in emotional distress.

He also questioned how the mix-up happened when all inmates were assigned identification numbers.

“How was the death registered and the death certificate produced? How is it possible that a person who was still alive could be said to be dead?” he questioned in the Dewan Rakyat today when debating the 2023 Supply Bill.

“Is the government willing to apologise to the family whose son is still alive but was told that he passed away, as well as compensating them?

“Is the government going to take action to ensure that such incidents would not happen again?” he said, adding that he had met both families.


Zero custodial deaths

The DAP lawmaker also reminded the Anwar Ibrahim-led administration that custodial death is not acceptable.

“I know that the government is new and needs time to understand these matters but death in custody is not acceptable.

“Last time, we promised that there would be zero deaths in lockup. Can this be achieved?”

Yesterday, it was reported that a family in Negeri Sembilan, who had mourned for several days over the supposed death of their son while in custody in Sungai Buloh Prison on Feb 28, was shocked to find out that their son was still alive.

A few hours before they were to cremate the body they received, the family was informed by prison authorities via a video call that their 19-year-old son is alive in his cell.

The father, who only wanted to be identified as Chantren, was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian that he had noticed that the body did not resemble his son after post-mortem because “there were suture marks, besides the hair had also been shaved”.

For the record, the Home Ministry has stated that there were 11 deaths in police lockups last year - nine Malays, one Chinese, and one foreigner.

Of the number, four people were aged between 30 and 39 years, three between 40 and 49 years, three between 50 and 59 years, and two between 60 to 69 years.

Last year, the Prison Department also recorded nine deaths of male prisoners. Of that number, four were Malays, three were Chinese, one was Indian, and one was Vietnamese.