The police officers who shot dead three youths in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, in November last year acted in accordance with the law, said the Home Ministry.

Investigations into the fatal shootings revealed that police had fired three shots in the direction of the youths, the ministry said in a written reply issued to the Parliament yesterday.

teoh beng hock inquest 011009 gobind singh "This was done in accordance with the law. The police have investigated the case under Section 307 of the Penal Code (on attempted murder)," says the reply to a question from Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong).

The investigation papers were referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers, which called for further investigations, the ministry said.

The MP had asked the ministry for the result of the police investigations into the fatal shooting and the action taken against the police officers responsible for the death of the youths.

Muhammad Hanafi Omar, 22, Muhammad Shamil Hafiz Shapiei, 15, and Mohd Hairul Nizam Tuah, 20, were gunned down by police after a reportedly high-speed car chase on the early morning of Nov 13 last year in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

'Shot at close range'

PKR vice-president N Surendran had said that post-mortem reports showed that the youths were gunned down by the police at close range while in a kneeling position.

Surendran, who is also a human rights lawyer, reiterated that this was contrary to the police version of the incident that youths had charged at the authorities with machetes, and were shot during the purported attack.

Mohd Shamil's mother Norhafizah Mat Razali, who was at Parliament House yesterday, challenged the government to take the case to court.

"Let the court decide if the police officers are wrong. I have lost faith in the police," lamented the 37-year-old grieving mother.

NONE Aggrieved parents of Muhammad Hanafi, Muhammad Shamil and Mohd Hairul turned at Parliament on Oct 6 and submitted a memorandum to the Home Ministry, calling for the police officers involved to be charged with killing the youths ( photo ).

Incensed by the one-paragraph reply from the Home Ministry, Gobind lashed out at the minister for being insensitive to the families of the youths shot dead.

"We got a one-paragraph written reply. Is this the quality of this Parliament?" he lamented.