Samirah Muzaffar, the wife of Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan, has criticised the authorities with regard to the investigation into her husband's death.

In a press statement, Samirah said she and her family are being kept in the dark over the progress of the investigation.

“I have been told by the Fire and Rescue Department that the report by the department cannot be given to me because Nazrin's death is a high profile case.

“I have again written to the Fire Department and appealed for a copy of the report. I am not aware of any provision in the law that denies the family of the victim, especially the next of kin, access to documents because of the status of the case,” she added.

Samirah also denied media reports that her late husband was on medication.

“The laboratory analysis in the post-mortem report further confirms that no common drugs, volatile substances and/or alcohol were found in my late husband,” she said.

Below is her press statement in full:

It has been a trying period of close to two months for me and the children.

In respecting the ongoing investigations, I have refrained from issuing any statement or talking to the media but my family and I are deeply distressed by recent media reports on the tragic demise of my beloved husband, Nazrin Hassan on June 14, 2018.

These reports, it is pertinent to point out, contain official quotes and statements from the authorities involved in the investigation, namely, the Fire and Rescue Department and the police.

It is unfortunate that these reports are not consistent with the findings of the “Report of the post-mortem examination” on my deceased husband issued by the Department of Forensic Medicine, Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Aug 2, 2018.

The report, which is in my possession, states that my husband “sustained a blunt penetrating injury at the left parietal region. This wound was associated with severe degree of head injury”.

It also states that “multiple smaller blunt penetrating injuries of various sizes were found on his face, neck, chest, left shoulder, back of left hand bearing the pattern of shrapnel injuries”. The post-mortem report then concludes that the cause of death is “complication of blast and blunt penetrating injuries”.

The autopsy conducted by a senior pathologist in HKL has explicitly detailed out the cause of the demise of my late husband.

The post-mortem report makes no mention of “traces of petrol on his head” or on any other part of my late husband.

I would like to also reiterate here that contrary to media reports, my late husband was not on any form of medication. The laboratory analysis in the post-mortem report further confirms that no common drugs, volatile substances and/or alcohol were found in my late husband.

The family and I have been more than cooperative with the authorities as we would like to see a closure of the entire tragic episode. Besides, we would like some information on certain missing items and personal belongings of my late husband as a result of the incident.

I have lodged police reports pertaining to the investigations and missing items since June 2018. I have been writing to the Fire and Rescue Department requesting updates but the family and I have been kept mostly in the dark.

I have been told by the Fire and Rescue Department that the report by the department cannot be given to me because Nazrin's death is a high profile case.

I have again written to the Fire Department and appealed for a copy of the report. I am not aware of any provision in the law that denies the family of the victim, especially the next of kin, access to documents because of the status of the case.

However, there have been no less than four statements made to the media by the Fire and Rescue Department in relation to the tragedy.

In its sparse communication with me, the Fire and Rescue Department has, in fact, made claims which are patently untrue, namely that it had taken control of the premises, specifically the room where the death occurred, from June 14 to 19, 2018.

After 5pm on June 14 itself, the family was informed that it could access the room as well as clean the said room. And yet, the Fire and Rescue Department produced a letter on June 19, 2018 which was backdated to June 14, 2018. Acts of this sort which transgress established procedures erode our confidence in the authorities.

As most would know, my late husband led his life with integrity, honesty and professionalism, and I seek that the investigations in relation to his death also be conducted with the highest standards of ethics, transparency and accountability.