The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) found that little improvement has been made in police procedures dealing with those in need of medical attention while in police custody, following their probe into the custodial death of Parthiban Karuthani.

“Although there have been a plethora of previous reports, recommendations and proposals from Suhakam to assist the authorities to protect the health and safety of detainees with an aim to minimising incidences of death in police custody, we regret that many of these have not been implemented or have been ignored,” Suhakam chairperson Razali Ismail said in a statement today.

Parthiban was a detainee at the Melaka Tengah police lock-up, who died at the Malacca Hospital on May 22 this year while receiving treatment.

Suhakam, who recorded 24 statements during this investigation, identified unresolved issues with providing medical attention in lockup in custodial death cases, Razali said...