The police today questioned the mother and sister of a detainee for lodging a report last Saturday claiming that he was abused while under police custody.

They were both asked on the police report that was lodged by the mother at the Klang district police headquarters and the media reports quoting his sister.

The detainee hit the headlines last week after being admitted at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang for allegedly consuming paint thinner while in police custody.

He was said to have consumed the thinner at the district police headquarters where he was held for alleged drug possession.

Klang police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop had explained that the injuries the detainee sustained could have occurred during a minor scuffle during his arrest.

The police chief also said that he was being investigated under Section 39(A) of the Dangerous Drugs Act for possession of 44 grams of cannabis.

However, the police report lodged by the 49-year-old mother stated that her 23-year-old son had related his ordeal while in custody and had told her that he was kicked and assaulted with a rubber hose.

The sister, on the other hand, was reported saying that her brother had sustained gashes and bruises to his head.

Both of them were summoned to the police headquarters in Klang at 10am for their statements.

According to PKR Youth vice-chief Khairul Annuar Zainudin, who had accompanied the mother and sister today, the family was under intense pressure from all that had happened.

He said that the mother fainted 20 minutes after the police session and had to be escorted back to the car.

Hospital should release a statement

Khairul also told Malaysiakini that although the detainee was in a critical condition, he was still kept handcuffed to the hospital bed.

"How ridiculous can they get? He is on a life-support machine and there is a guard outside anyway. But we are glad that the police chief is allowing his wife to stay by his bedside," said Khairul.

Moreover, Khairul said that hospital had informed the family that the detainee, who is currently semi-conscious and is under observation at the intensive care unit, has lung infection.

"Why can't the doctors just relate what actually happened to him? We want the hospital director to issue a statement on his condition," he demanded.

"I hope the new Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein would make it his first priority to sort out this issue and take appropriate measures to stop such things from happening again," urged Khairul.

Editor’s note: The detainee’s name has been removed from this report along with his family members.