Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) today slammed inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar, describing him as 'a coward' for lack of police action against those involved in a death-in-custody case.

The lawmaker cited the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission's findings that police were responsible for the death of Syed Mohd Azlan Syed Mohamad Nor in a Johor police station lock-up last year.

"I want to ask the IGP: you call people cowards but what action has been taken on this case that happened in a police station?

"Why has there been no action? Does the IGP dare to speak to victim's family? Has he even contacted them?

"Shame on the IGP, you yourself are a coward," Gobind told the Dewan Rakyat today while debating the Home Ministry's 2016 Budget allocation.

Gobind said this when mocking at Khalid for calling Charles Morais a coward for fleeing the country after making an explosive statutory declaration implicating high-profile individuals.

Internal probe

Earlier this month the IGP vowed that the police personnel involved in Syed Mohd Azlan's death would not be protected and that an internal investigation would be carried out and forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action.

In its investigations, the EAIC found Syed Mohd Azlan, 25, to have been ' murdered ' by police personnel who beat him up in the police station lock-up in Sungai Rengit, Johor, on Nov 3, 2014.

The EAIC also found evidence that police personnel had cleaned the scene of evidence of the beatings, before medical officers arrived to check on Syed Mohd Azlan.

Gobind also took a swipe at the police for not establishing the motives in high profile cases or capturing the masterminds behind the Altantuya Shaariibuu and Hussain Najadi murders.

However, the DAP lawmaker's debate was not all about criticising the police force.

He also called on the government to raise the salaries of police officers, to make the job more attractive.

"If you look at Singapore, what they believe there is 'if you want quality, pay for it'," Gobind said.