Time for the truth
WT%@#$ happened to A. Ganapathy?
MIC has added its voice to the call for an independent investigation into the death of a man allegedly due to beatings received in police custody.
The party is demanding answers, especially considering the family’s claim that A. Ganapathy, 40, was denied his right to medical treatment and seriously injured after being beaten with a rubber hose (allegedly! allegedly!).
Here are the case facts as reported thus far: The daddy-of-two was arrested on February 24 to help investigations into his sibling. He was released on March 8, but immediately warded at the Serdang Hospital ICU. He died over a month later, after being found with kidney problems and having his leg amputated.
At the time, police said they were awaiting the autopsy report and have ordered a detailed probe. Previously, rights groups have urged the AG to order an inquest into the death.
Deaths in custody have tainted our police force for years — 257 reportedly between 2000 and 2016 alone. Indians, less than 7% of the country’s population, make up a stunning 23.4% to 54.8% of cases (depending on whose stats you trust more).
In fact, a coroner into a previous death in custody inquiry had opined that all such cases should be probed as though a murder had taken place, and evidence presented so police can avoid claims they’d neglected their duty of care. We couldn’t agree more.
But MIC, like this opposition MP, has said the latest tragedy shows why an IPCMC — that Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission that never seems to get formed — is super needed.
And like the proverbial broken record, all we can do is repeat that what we’re left with is a diluted Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) which hasn’t even been passed yet ‘cos Parli’s been suspended!
Of eagles and sparrows, again
The Kelantan burger seller has company for his misery.
Two other small-time traders in the state have been issued whopping RM50,000 fines for breaching MCO SOPs, including operating beyond hours. Among them, a colek (a type of rojak) seller who claims to barely earn RM100 a night.
Since the abang burger’s news broke, many folks have rightfully criticised the ridonkulous size of the fines (wonder what size issues the Kelantan government is compensating for), especially against low-income plebs. However, our warm water-advocating health minister and his deputy were of no help, merely advising the man to appeal the amount.
But why RM50k in the first place? According to de facto Law Minister/Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan, the max fine for operating beyond stipulated hours is “just” RM10,000!
FYI, RM50k is for corporate bodies, not individuals running small businesses (we highlighted the tiered-summoning system here). Remember, there’s also a 25-50% discount for early birds who settle within 14 days.
So is this yet another case of enforcement peeps not knowing what they’re doing? Instead of expecting us to go running to health offices to appeal stupid fines, wouldn’t it be easier to teach officers the law they’re supposedly enforcing? In any case, Kelantan police say they’re reviewing the fine. No shit! Maybe while they’re at it, they should review the echoing space between their ears.
Netizens are questioning how on earth is the RM50k justifiable when the cops have slapped a total of just RM60,000 fine on VIPs Neelofa (RM20k), hubby PU Riz (RM10k), and their wedding guests (RM1.5k each). This following a month-long investigation on SOP breaches following the couple’s wedding and their subsequent work/honeymoon interstate trip.
If you’re wondering how this shit can happen, it’s coz of this:
- These fines are imposed by different states / police depts / prosecutors
- These people don’t talk or communicate with each other and don’t know what each other are doing
- The laws are so vague that they leave a lot open to interpretation, resulting in the fustercluck we find ourselves in
What we wonder though, is why the Neelofa episode required a month of investigations when the pics and videos were everywhere to see. This is the definition of an open and shut case!
Anyway… Neelofa, our resident tudung tycoon and banana milk magnate, has offered to cover the burger seller’s fine and claims she’s learnt her lesson (yeah, we’re guessing you won’t be going on a second honeymoon… boo hoo!).
Still, some good news. Over in Perak, the 6 matriculation college students fined RM1,500 for improper use of face masks (when the entire college’s been on quarantine for months) need not pay a single sen! Yay!
🎶 Sorry seems to be the hardest word 🎶
The Form 5 student who made rape threats against 17-year-old Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam, that brave teen who exposed a male teacher who allegedly made rape jokes in class, has apologised.
According to Ain’s father Saiful Nizam Ab Wahab, who’s accepted the apology, the boy apologised in front of his daughter and promised to change. Kudos to the kid for stepping up, and we hope he does learn the gravity of his actions.
What can’t be accepted is the way police have gone about this whole episode. To jolt your memory, deputy top cop Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani was quoted describing the threat as “maybe a joke” that Ain “couldn’t accept”, even before investigations could start (you can get the low-down here).
Several MPs have slammed Acryl for his comments, saying it normalises rape culture.
First, and good to know, Bukit Aman has since clarified that cops were taking the threat seriously and didn’t view it as a joke.
But instead of ending there, they proceeded to attack news portals Malaysiakini and China Press for choosing to headline the joke angle. PDRM claimed the “joke” statement merely highlighted an aspect of investigations being looked into and not that cops were dismissing the threat against Ain as a joke, which the headlines had inferred.
For context, this was Acryl’s full quote: “The student (Ain) has filed two police reports. The first is over what she felt was an improper approach by her teacher.
“The second report is regarding what may be a joke from her classmate, which she couldn’t accept.”
Here’s a video of the press conference so you can decide what he said and what he may’ve meant (fast forward to the 9th minute). BT-Dubs, Kini has insisted that a copy of Ain’s report did not mention it could be a joke.
Now, the Home Ministry want to haul up both news agencies to explain themselves. Wouldn’t it have been easier to think first before speaking, oh’ Acryl, instead of blaming the press when you’ve been misunderstood (allegedly! allegedly!)? As activists pointed out yesterday: Your choice of words matter!
Here’s a suggestion to those bright lights at the Home Ministry. Instead of hauling up news orgs for reporting the stupid thing your people say, why not teach or train your people to be more sensitive about their words (or better yet, don’t promote such donkeys in the first place?).
Meanwhile, MP Teo Nie Ching has called for an independent probe into allegations of “period spot checks” on menstruating schoolgirls, while Suhakam has urged victims to come forward.
This after Education Minister Radzi Jinin claimed there’s so far no evidence of such a practice.
It’s not been a good couple of weeks for women and girls in Malaysia. And to make matters worse, the gomen is seeking to strike out a suit brought by several Malaysian mothers married to foreigners for automatic registration of their children, filed last year.
You see, children born overseas to Malaysian women married to foreigners aren’t granted automatic citizenship the way children born to Malaysian men abroad are. 🤬
These women are challenging the related Federal Constitution articles, seeking these to be declared discriminatory. Some of these mothers have been waiting for 16 years to get their children registered as citizens.
Sad, but true.
KWAN, unlikely kawans and more
Vaccine Imperator Khairy Jamaluddin has broken down the controversial spending of the RM5 billion to be taken from the National Trust Fund.
You can find the breakdown here, but we’ve included some of the major points as follows:
- RM3.5 billion is for vaccine procurement, including possible future purchases of vaccines for adolescents (in clinical trials now) and booster shots;
- RM333 million for rentals and utilities for vaccine dispensation centres;
- RM260 million for computers and public address systems, consumables for medical purposes, including diluents for the vaccine;
- RM100m for keeping facilities clean and sanitised; and,
- RM347m for allowances for MyVac, Rela, Civil Defence and healthcare volunteers.
Still, the “raid” on the fund’s been criticised by many, including unlikely lovebirds Najib Razak and political rival Lim Guan Eng who, apart from this and the fact that both are ex-finance ministers, have nothing in common.
Anyhoo, here’re some other bits of news from yesterday:
- Bad news for those hoping to balik kampung for Raya. The gomen’s extended the interstate travel ban to May 17 as the CMCO, RMCO (and MCO for Kelantan) have also been extended.
- 17 more schools in several states have been ordered closed as education clusters grow.
- Meanwhile, 20 individuals, including 17 golden oldies at an old folks’ home in Klang have tested positive.
- We’ve had 2,733 new infections and 13 more deaths, bringing the respective totals to 398,451 and 1,462. Active cases have risen to 25,414.
- Anwar Ibrahim was questioned over the “leaked” recording of a purported phone conversation between him and Umno prez Zahid Hamidi. Police have brushed aside any criticism, saying this was normal procedure (which is true) in investigations into any report. And there have been 18 reports lodged, BTW.
- 10 more cops and 2 MACC officers have been arrested over links to the notorious Nicky Gang.
“I realise how precious life is, probably because I've seen how it can be taken away."
- Pierce Brosnan -
IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- Vital medical supplies have begun pouring into Covid-stricken India as the death toll nears 200,000. But, experts fear infections there are being underreported and could be as much half a billion.
- China and South Asian nations are discussing setting up a Covid emergency supplies reserve, but India is not part of the group.
Meanwhile, Pfizer’s claimed an oral Covid pill to treat early signs of the disease could be ready by year-end and rolled out in the US, pending Food and Drug Administration approval. The company’s already begun early-stage clinical trials.
- The US has claimed one of its warships had to fire a warning shot as Iranian navy attack boats harassed several US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf.
- A letter signed by 1,000 French soldiers and about 20 retired generals that said the country was headed for civil war due to religious extremism has earned condemnation from the government.
