The continued presence of lawyer Salehudin Saidin as a panel member will undermine the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission’s (EAIC) commitment to ending custodial deaths, says PKR.

NONE According to PKR legal and human rights bureau head Latheefa Koya ( right ), this is not the first time the lawyer has represented custodial deaths and police abuse cases.

As such, she said in a statement, the EAIC must immediately explain Salehudin’s status as a panel member.

“The EAIC has failed to explain Salehudin’s appearance as a defence lawyer in all the other deaths in custody and police abuse cases, including his appearance for the notorious Serdang Hospital pathologist Dr Abdul Karim Tajuddin, who prepared A Kugan’s first post-mortem report , and the B Prabakar hot water-torture case,” Latheefa said.

“We demand EAIC for an explanation as to the status of Salehuddin.

NONE “His continued presence in the panel, in whatever capacity, utterly undermines EAIC’s commitment to ending custodial deaths and police abuse cases.

Malaysiakini has contacted Salehudin ( left ) for his response.

Latheefa on Monday questioned Salehudin’s objectivity in carrying out his duties as EAIC panel member, after revealing that he is representing one of three police personnel charged with the murder of death-in-custody victim N Dhamendran.

In response, EAIC chief executive Nor Afizah Hanom Mokhtar yesterday clarified that Salehudin had withdrawn from representing the accused upon learning that the EAIC was to investigate the case.

Shocked at anti-opposition ‘tirade’

Latheefa, who is also PKR supreme council member, further expressed shock at commission chairperson Heliliah Mohd Yusof’s seemingly anti-opposition “ tirade ” yesterday.

NONE Helilah ( left ) said the opposition would never admit if a government agency has done a good job.

“EAIC has failed to address public concerns over its ineffectiveness in comparison with the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

“Heliliah’s conduct clearly shows that another independent body has been compromised by the BN government,” Latheefa added.

Pointing to the EAIC's “deafening silence” on previous such cases since its establishment two years ago, she said the commission only chose to speak out on the Dhamendran case because of public outrage over the death.

“Therefore, we once again reiterate our call for the setting up of IPCMC.”

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