There were 255 cases of death in police custody recorded between 2000 and 2014 but only two were directly attributed to injuries caused by the police, said a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) report on death in custody and its contributing factors.

The figures were obtained from official police records, said the report released today.

At the same time, the report also recorded four other cases of deaths in custody which were not reflected in the police statistics:

  1. 47-year-old Chandran Perumal - Found dead on Sept 10, 2012, after being detained for four days at the Dang Wangi police station lock-up.
  2. 42-year-old P Karuna Nithi - Found dead at the Tampin police station lock-up on June 1, 2013.
  3. 39-year-old C Sugumar - Died on Jan 23, 2013, while in the process of being arrested by the police at a public place around Kajang.
  4. Syed Mohd Azlan Syed Mohd Nur - Died in November, 2014, less than 24 hours after being arrested by the police.

These were based on three decisions made by the Coroner's Court and findings of an investigation by the Enforcement Authorities Integrity Commission (EAIC), citing injuries caused by the police as contributing to their cause of deaths.

Suhakam also pointed out that the findings indicated police negligence in protecting as well as providing suspects with necessary medical treatments.

During a press conference at its headquarters today, Suhakam vice-chairperson Dr Khaw Lake Tee ( photo ) was asked whether it would be fair to state that the police were “fudging the figures” of deaths attributed to their actions.

“We are not sure why they (the police) did that. We did not ask them for an explanation so we are not able to come to any conclusion,” said Khaw in response.

At the same time, she also stressed that readers of the Suhakam report can make their own conclusions based on the police statistics, as well as the court’s decisions and EAIC investigation outcome.

“The facts speak for themselves, in other words.

“Although we have not drawn the conclusion, we have laid it out for the reader to make their own conclusions,” said Khaw who would be ending her term as commissioner on April 25.

According to police statistics, 207 of the cases recorded were attributed to health factors - among others, HIV, tuberculosis and heart attacks.

There were also 30 cases of detainees hanging themselves; 12 deaths due to brain haemorrhage; two slipped and died in the bathroom; while two others died in a fight among themselves.

Other concerns raised in the report include poor conditions of lock-ups that can aggravate a suspect’s existing health problems and inadequate facilities to provide necessary medical treatments.