'Detainees denied medical treatment due to police'

Kuala Lumpur: Most of the detainees that the National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) interviewed for a report on deaths in police custody were denied medical treatment, even as the commission found that the deaths were mainly caused by health problems.The human rights commission said in its report on deaths in detentions released that two-thirds of detainees with health problems interviewed were denied medical attention, as the police did not believe that they were genuinely ill.

"We found that only 1/3 of the detainees interviewed said they were allowed to undergo medical checkups when they arrive at the lockup, but 2/3 said they were never given any medical attention.

"It is also worth noting that the so-called medical checkup was only verbal and conducted by the investigating officers and not by medical officers," the commission said in its report released today.

Suhakam reported there were 255 cases of custodial deaths from 2000 to 2014, with 81 per cent of them due to health complications.

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"We were told that the evaluation on whether or not detainees are sick were heavily influenced by prejudice because a lot of the officers believed the detainees pretended to be sick out of boredom, or as an excuse to enjoy time outside if they are brought to a hospital," the report added.

In a news conference of the report's release, Suhakam Vice-President Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee conceded that the poor condition of police lockups nationwide may have indirectly contributed to the deaths of the detainees.

"Yes it could possibly be," Khaw said when asked on the matter.

The issue of deaths in police detention made headlines last year after opposition lawmakers highlighted the problem in Parliament, and called for laws to be enacted to hold police officers and the government liable for injuries and deaths in custody.

Despite the alarming reported cases of lockup deaths, Suhakam said police data indicated that there had only been two cases of deaths caused by physical abuse from 2000 to 2014.

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But Khaw was quick to note that Suhakam could not determine the exact number of cases of deaths by physical abuse as the commission had no access to police data.

"What we have are the information given the police," she explained.

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