Prisons dept panned for not addressing Suhakam’s Taiping riot findings

PETALING JAYA: Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has slammed the prisons department for failing to address the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia’s (Suhakam) key findings on the Taiping prison riot that killed one inmate.

Lim said a statement issued by the department on June 15 in response to Suhakam’s findings was “extremely disappointing” as it did not respond to the serious issues raised by the commission.

He said the department’s reiteration that a prison warden had been charged and that five other personnel were facing disciplinary action was not a sufficient response.

“The public has known since Dec 19 that a Taiping prison warden, Ryndee O’nel Victor, was charged under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code with causing the death of inmate Gan Chin Eng.

“The department did not need to repeat old information as though it was a major announcement or evidence of new transparency,” he said in a statement.

The DAP man said the issue was not only about taking disciplinary action against the implicated officers, but the wider allegations raised by Suhakam.

These include allegations of excessive physical violence, abuse of power, negligence, failure to provide medical treatment, manipulation of medical records, and filing false police reports.

“However, the prisons department chose the safe route. There was no apology, no clear acknowledgement of Suhakam’s findings, and no explanation regarding the allegations raised.”

Lim called for the immediate suspension of the Taiping prison director at the time of the incident pending further investigations into the riot, as well as the five personnel currently facing disciplinary proceedings.

“Officers who made false police reports must be investigated and charged. Those who manipulated medical records must be brought to court,” he added.

More than 100 Taiping prison inmates were assaulted by about 60 wardens during a transfer exercise from Hall B to Block E last year.

While Ryndee claimed trial to culpable homicide over Gan’s death, Suhakam had called for criminal charges to be filed against other wardens involved in the incident.