Cops investigating cops: Noorizwan's family press Harapan MPs for parliamentary probe into death

With police investigating Noorizwan Zulkefly’s death in custody, his family is demanding answers to a question that strikes at the heart of police accountability. Can the police credibly investigate themselves?

Today, the family, accompanied by lawyers and activists, marched to Parliament to press for the case to be raised in the Dewan Rakyat.

They also submitted a memorandum to Pakatan Harapan MPs, urging Parliament to take a more active role in addressing custodial deaths.

The memorandum called for a Parliamentary Special Select Committee to investigate Noorizwan’s death and custodial deaths more broadly. 

It also urged the establishment of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), with full and independent powers to investigate custodial deaths and serious police misconduct.

Yesterday, the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) announced that it has launched a probe into alleged misconduct linked to Noorizwan’s death, with its findings to be submitted to the Police Force Commission in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.

Civil society groups had previously criticised the IPCC as a watered-down version of the IPCMC, pointing to limitations in its investigative and enforcement powers.

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'Sudden death' and no cop suspended

Despite Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s assurances of a comprehensive and transparent investigation, the family remains unconvinced, citing what they describe as an inadequate police probe and a failure to act on forensic evidence indicating that Noorizwan died from violence.

The memorandum stated that the cause of death was “blunt force trauma to the head”, arguing that the investigation was inadequate because it amounted to “the police investigating the police”.

“The prime minister’s intervention and the inspector-general of police's directives are welcomed, but they do not alter the core issue that the police are investigating themselves.

“More than three weeks later, the case is still classified as sudden death despite clear forensic evidence of death caused by violence.  No officers have been suspended, and senior police officers have publicly contradicted the post-mortem findings,” the memorandum stated.

It urged Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail to ensure that Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigate the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, free from interference by the Cheras District Police Headquarters and the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Police Headquarters.

The memorandum also called for the immediate suspension and detention of police officers suspected of involvement, as well as an end to criminal investigations against the family’s lawyers.

It was handed over by Noorizwan’s younger brother, Nooranis Zulkefly, and Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) director Rania Aljunied to Harapan MPs RSN Rayer (Jelutong), Hassan Karim (Pasir Gudang), and Young Syefura Othman (Bentong).

A copy was also understood to have been submitted to a representative of the Home Ministry.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat later, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail reiterated that the ministry will not compromise on cases of power abuse, even if they involve law enforcement officers.

He added that while the case has been taken over by Bukit Aman’s CID, he will be sure to announce any updates as and when possible as the case progresses.

While Saifuddin said that the CID has identified a section in the Penal Code as the investigation’s baseline, the minister did not disclose the exact provision.

PM calls for thorough probe

On Oct 24, Anwar called for a thorough, transparent, and uncompromised investigation into Noorizwan’s death in police custody.

He said he had contacted Khalid to obtain further information about the case and stressed that the family must be kept informed of developments in the investigation.

Anwar also arranged for an officer to receive an appeal letter from Noorizwan’s family at his residence in Sungai Long, Kajang.

Previously, LFL revealed that its founders, Latheefa Koya and N Surendran, along with Dina Zamri, who represents Noorizwan’s family, were being investigated for allegedly pressuring Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital to release post-mortem photographs documenting 21 horrific injuries on the deceased’s body.

A day after LFL released the photographs, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said investigators were awaiting the Chemistry Department’s full report and the official pathology results before completing their probe.

Noorizwan, 42, died on Oct 1 while detained at the Cheras district police headquarters.

Cops investigating cops: Noorizwan's family press Harapan MPs for parliamentary probe into death

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