The Malaysian Bar is pushing hard the Attorney-General's Chambers to effect an inquest into every case of custodial death and police shooting.

Bar Council chairperson Kuthubul Zaman Bukhari said he has personally discussed the matter with AG Abdul Gani Patail in late February.

"He promised to arrange for a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police (Mohd Bakri Omar) soon," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said members at the Bar's annual general meeting last week passed a resolution calling upon the AG and the IGP to initiate an inquiry into "each and every case of death in police custody or death as a result of police shootings".

"(They must also) where appropriate, institute criminal proceedings against persons responsible for such deaths."

'Prompt and meaningful effect'

Stressing on the significance of Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Code which provides for an inquest into such cases, Kuthubul said it should be given "prompt and meaningful effect".

"(This is so) that there is full respect for human life and the Malaysian public is not given the impression that incidents of this grave nature are swept under the carpet," he added.

As example, he cited the case of six men who were shot dead by police in Tumpat, Kelantan, in October 1998.

An inquest was held following the council's memorandum to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was then prime minister and home affairs minister.

The Coroner's court had ruled that the police had acted in self-defence but it was later reversed by the High Court.

"The case will be heard by a Sessions judge sometime next week to determine the cause of death," he added.

"This is because the High Court judge was unable to pinpoint the persons who fired the shots and from which direction."

According to press reports, the shots had come from various angles - front, left and right - based on the victims' head wounds.

Over the years, individuals, human rights advocates and organisations have sent numerous reports, letters and memoranda to the police, the then Home Affairs Ministry and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia regarding such cases.