Fatal police shooting: Cops paid by rakyat, but oppressing us - victim's family

Fatal police shooting: Cops paid by rakyat, but oppressing us - victim's family

Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain
Published: Jun 11, 2025 12:11 PM
Updated: 2:59 PM


Summary

• Chan Wey Han’s family accuses cops of refusing to cooperate over his death following a shooting incident with police and his missing jewellery.

• His brother disputes claims that Wey Han was a wanted criminal, highlighting his regular check-ins with police and alleging past mistreatment during a prior arrest.

• The family reiterates their inquest demand.

The family of Chan Wey Han, who was fatally shot by police in Terengganu on March 16, has slammed the authorities for allegedly inflicting injustice on the rakyat.

The victim's older brother, Wey Chuan, bemoaned how, despite being paid by taxpayers' monies, police have apparently refused to cooperate with the family's pleas for clarification over Wey Han's death.

Besides taking issue with the police's claim that his brother was a wanted individual who was driving a stolen vehicle, Wey Chuan expressed dismay over how the deceased's personal belongings appear to have vanished.

"How can a gold chain and gold ring worn by my brother when he was shot by the police not be returned to us until now?" Wey Chuan questioned during a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

"We weren't even allowed to enter the scene of his death and when we eventually saw his body at the Forensics Department, there were police officers stationed there... how can the jewellery have gone missing?

"Those involved (in Wey Chuan's death and stolen belongings) are part of a criminal act and it's embarrassing.

“Police are being paid by the rakyat, and yet they are being zalim (cruel) towards us," he added.


Allegedly roughed up

Wey Chuan also claimed that when his brother was initially arrested in July last year, the latter was left partially deaf after sustaining injuries allegedly inflicted by police officers.

"We're hoping to expose all the details of this case through a proper channel, like an inquest, as we're not voicing out just for the sake of doing so.

"We know that not all police officers are in the wrong and we're sure that a majority of them have integrity, but why do the rakyat still have to go through these battles when our taxes go to paying their salaries?" he lamented.

Previously, it was reported that a police team from Bukit Aman spotted Wey Han driving a Ford Ranger in a suspicious manner in Kuala Besut.

Quoting a source, Berita Harian, who did not name the deceased in its report, said when Wey Han was ordered to stop, he shot at the police officers, forcing them to return fire.

It was reported that an inspection inside the vehicle also found a silver-colored pistol along with a magazine on the floor of the driver's side.


Why not nab him during police check-ins?

Commenting on the police's claim that his brother was a wanted individual with a criminal record, Wey Chuan stressed that the victim had been reporting to the Jerteh police station every month, with the latest report made just four days before his death.

"If he was a wanted criminal, why did they (police) not catch him when he willingly went to the station? It also doesn't make sense to us why the police are saying he had a criminal record when he was never imprisoned for any crime," Wey Chuan said.

Chan Wey Chuan (left) and the family’s lawyer M Visvanathan

He added that the family was informed that the owner of the car Wey Han was driving when he was killed had never made a missing vehicle report.

The car was also parked at his girlfriend's house for a few days before Wey Han decided to bring it out to our family farm that night.

Wey Chuan highlighted that while his brother was previously fined by the courts several times for offences involving gambling, Wey Han had always adhered to legal processes and paid his dues.

"I always told my brother (whenever he was caught) that it's okay, we will follow the necessary procedures... but, why are (such processes) only subject to the rakyat while the police are allowed to act cruelly when they are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting us?" he questioned.


Inquest demand

He also reiterated the family's call for an inquest into Wey Han's death, noting that while their lawyer had written to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) two months ago, there has yet to be any positive progress.

Also present at the press conference was the family's legal counsel, M Visvanathan, who said that a letter to the AGC was sent on April 15 regarding the inquest proceedings.

While a brief reply was received three days later, the deceased's family have not received any other updates from the police or the AGC, the lawyer said.

"The lack of updates from authorities hints at a systemic problem with the administration of justice... this is an issue which should not be allowed to proceed any further," he added.