Family demands truth after man falls unconscious in prison, dies later
The family members of a coffee shop owner in Johor Bahru have demanded the truth behind his death after he was allegedly rushed to the hospital hours before his release from Kluang prison at the end of a seven-day sentence for driving under the influence.
Kim Shih Keat, 36, who was supposed to be released on June 28, died at 9.33am on the same day at Enche' Besar Halijah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang.
This was about two hours after he was found...
The family members of a coffee shop owner in Johor Bahru have demanded the truth behind his death after he was allegedly rushed to the hospital hours before his release from Kluang prison at the end of a seven-day sentence for driving under the influence.
Kim Shih Keat, 36, who was supposed to be released on June 28, died at 9.33am on the same day at the Enche' Besar Halijah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang.
This was about two hours after he was found unconscious and taken to the hospital by the prison authorities.
His elder brother Shih Hoe, 39, raised suspicion over the death.
"My brother was arrested for driving under the influence on Sept 23 last year after attending a birthday celebration. He was charged on June 22 and sentenced to prison. He was supposed to be released on June 28.
"We want to know what happened to him. He was healthy before he was sent to prison," he told Malaysiakini.
‘He was a healthy man’
Earlier today, Shih Hoe and his sister Michelle, 33, voiced their dissatisfaction at a press conference called by former Skudai assemblyperson Dr Boo Cheng Hau.
Online news portal Free Malaysia Today quoted them as alleging that Shih Keat died in police custody.
They have since lodged a police report.
According to the report, the family had attempted to contact the prison thrice between June 25 and 27 for the date of Shih Keat's release, but they were told to call back the next day.
"At 8.30am on June 28, I contacted the prison to find out the exact time of my brother’s release and was informed that he would be released between 10am and 12 noon on the same day.
"However, my sister-in-law said she received a call from a man who runs a funeral service that my brother had died," Michelle said.
She said the family later got a call from the prison, informing them that Shih Keat was found unconscious at 7.50am on June 28 and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Michelle said the doctor who performed the post-mortem confirmed that her brother was a healthy man before he was sent to the hospital.
"While the pathologist noted there were injuries found on his leg, elbows and both knees, the doctor said he had no illness and such injuries would not result in death," she added.
Shih Keat is survived by his wife and two daughters, aged four and six.
Sudden death
When contacted, Kluang deputy police chief Abdul Razak Abdullah confirmed receiving a police report from the family. He said the case is being classified as sudden death.
"We are still waiting for the post-mortem report," he said in a text message to Malaysiakini.
Meanwhile, Boo urged the police to invite both the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) and Suhakam to conduct a joint investigation and inquest into the death.
"Law enforcement units should not be investigating their own officers due to conflict of interest.
"The alarming number of deaths in police custody should be dealt with proactively under the rule of law and no one is above the law, including the black sheep within the police force itself.
"The government of the day should consider amending the existing law by giving prosecution powers to EAIC and Suhakam," Boo said.
