Orang Asli mum demands answers on son's death in custody

The mother of a 25-year-old Orang Asli from Pahang who died while in detention at the Pekan district police headquarters lock-up four months ago has demanded answers from the authorities in charge.

Noriah Hitam, 51, claimed she had been denied information on circumstances surrounding the death of her eldest son, Norazman Me, 25, while in police custody.

Noriah (above, right), who is from the Jakun tribe, said while she can accept her son being arrested if he had committed a crime, police should still explain the reasons that led to his death in custody.

“He (Norazman) was in the custody of the police, there is CCTV (closed circuit camera) and there is a sentry (supervision of members on duty).

“Wouldn’t they know if my son had attempted ‘suicide’ when he was locked up in the police station area?” she said during a press conference in Kuantan, Pahang, today.

The press conference was held at the office of the lawyer representing the Noriah family, S Bob Arumugam.

Also present at the press conference were Noriah’s husband, Me KingKing, 58, and their daughter Rodiah, 19.

Motorcycle theft

Noriah, who lives in Kampung Orang Asli Runchang, near Pekan, said her son was arrested on May 1 around Kampung Sungai Miang, near Pekan, on suspicion of stealing a motorcycle.

After being arrested, Norazman was placed in the Pekan district police station lock-up until he was found dead in his cell on May 4.

“The police called me at 3am on May 4, but I didn’t have time to pick it up because the phone was charging in the living room.

“On the same day, at around 8am, the police called me again to inform me that my son had died and asked us as a family to go to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) for the process of identification and claiming the remains.

“When we arrived at HTAA, the autopsy process was completed, and they said we can take the body, bring it back,” she said.

‘Didn't let me see footage’

She said police had also ignored attempts by family members to review the CCTV footage near the lock-up on the day of the incident.

“When at HTAA, they said we could see the CCTV, but when we went to the police station, they wouldn’t let us see it.

“So, what really happened on the day of the incident? We want to know what really happened to our son,” she stressed.

Me said Norazman, who was the eldest of three siblings, did not have a permanent job and was a single father.

Norazman was married and had a six-year-old child from that marriage, his father said.

“I didn’t expect it to be like this. Before that, he said he wanted to go to our relative’s house in Sungai Miang because he had work.

“After that, we found out that he was arrested and detained in the Pekan district police headquarters lock-up.

“When he was arrested, he was with a friend and they were placed in separate cells,” he said while informing that his son’s friend had been sentenced to jail and was now in Penor Prison, Kuantan.

Pahang police chief Yahaya Othman, when contacted, said a preliminary investigation was initiated following the incident involving Norazman.

“The arrest was made for the crime of stealing a motorcycle, and he was detained at the Pekan station lock-up.

“A sudden death investigation was opened (after the death),” he said in a brief text message.

Yahaya also said he is ready to meet with the victim’s family and provide further information on the case.

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