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In Sugumar case, what is Liow so afraid of?
Published:  Feb 9, 2013 9:49 AM
Updated: 3:14 AM

YOURSAY ‘Doesn't the minister understand that this is not about partisan politics? This is about check and balance and the building of strong institutions.'

PKR: Liow out to sabotage second post-mortem

Pemerhati: The BN people and their National Civics Bureau (BTN) indoctrinated civil servants are experts in giving Malaysians the run around when they want to deny them their rights.

This is clearly shown by the example of the National Registration Department (NRD), which has been playing this cruel game with thousands of stateless Indian applicants who are asked to provide all sorts of documents and then deny their citizenship.

The first hint that the issue of having a second post-mortem could turn into the usual BN run-around came when the Health Ministry bureaucrats issued a purported authorisation letter without actually giving any authorisation as the letter said that Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rajanasunand had to apply to the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) for permission to conduct the autopsy.

That meant that there could be a long delay in the reply and even a refusal in the end. Now the health minister has come up with another place (i.e. the police) the family has to run to get a post-mortem done. This is typical BN-style to fool and deny the public their rights.

ABU Member: I thought the dead body belongs to the family of the deceased and it's up to the family to do another autopsy if they so wish.

Why should anybody stop it unless something is wrong somewhere.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Hello, MIC president G Palanivel, MIC director of strategy Vell Paari, MIC Youth chief T Mohan and the rest of the herd, where are you guys?

Aren't you all supposed to be the defenders and champions of the Indians? Isn't MIC ready to reclaim its nine parliament and 19 state seats? Come out now and show the Indians that you are worthy of being elected.

Gods Messenger: Mohan must now assist the family on this matter. He was too fast to comment on this issue earlier. I hope he will look into it, rather than stay on the sidelines like a linesman.

Hplooi: What's wrong with Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai? Doesn't the minister understand that this is not about partisan politics?

This is about check and balance and the building of strong institutions. This is also about right and wrong. It will in the long run benefit everyone, including the generations to come.

Amigo: Liow, what are you afraid of?

Anonymous #33722082: Sugumar's dead body has no rights. It is like any other inanimate object. It belongs to his family. If someone sticks a knife into that body, he cannot be charged for assault or murder.

The MMC is set up to register doctors who want to work with live patients, not dead bodies. Hence MMC permission is not required to perform a second post-mortem.

The rights over Sugumar's body by the police and the state would have ceased once the post-mortem has been done by Serdang Hospital and a report given. The body is for the family to do what they want with it.

There is no point finding fault with Liow. The health minister has already given permission. The post-mortem by Pornthip can proceed. Liow can order that Serdang Hospital cooperate with Pornthip, including doing an MRI on the neck.

Indeed, there is no need to insist that the minister or the police accept Pornthip's evidence before this is available. That is unreasonable. Those findings must be open to contest and debate.

Tehachapi: They are treating Indians worse than dirt. What sort of government and what sort of minister is this? No heart and no head, and will not lift a finger to help the downtrodden or offer a gentle word to sooth the pain of our suffering.

Vote out these incompetent public servants who have usurped the people's power and betrayed our trust. More than that, they are now lording over us.

Angel: Even justice does not seem have been done. Why protect the police? The police should protect us.

Enlightened: Liow, you may no longer be a minister come the next GE, so why not clear your karma?

The ministry may not be able to approve a medico-legal post-mortem without the police's cooperation, but they can conduct a medical post-mortem.

The findings in the medical post-mortem can be then used as evidence in court by calling in a non-partisan expert witness if they charge the police officers.

By the way, why wasn't the morally tainted pathologist from Serdang stripped of his practicing licence when the MMC had proposed to do so? Do we smell political interference?

James1067: A human life is lost and let's us give him a decent funeral. Let the family carry on with the autopsy and let the truth be revealed.

If everything is above board then why the delay and make things difficult for the grieving family? Truth, if covered up on this earth, will still not escape the Creator's justice.


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