Alternate View 2

(It is simply a question of justice – did the police do the right things? Image source: The Nut Graph)

Kugan may just be one of the many Indians who unfortunately found themselves at the wrong end of the police – read the details here [compiled from 1998]

Reading through the list, some of reported deaths in the past look very familiar to the one surrounding Kugan:-

Francis Nathan (1999) – Police tell father that cause of death was HIV, but father reports bruising and lacerations on the body and face. Death certificate states meningitis as cause of death.

L. Yoges Rao (2003) – He was then taken into a locked room from where his sister said she
heard sounds of assaults and cries of pain. About half an hour later he was brought out, vomiting blood. He died the next day. Despite evidence of abuse on Yoges’ body, the burial permit said he had died of a stomach ulcer

Ravichandran Ramayah (2004) – The deceased then could only walk with the help of family members, causing the magistrate to order that he be brought to a hospital for medical attention. However, the police instead took the deceased to the Penang Prison, where he eventually died. State Police Chief Deputy Commissioner Othman Talib said that no wrongdoing had been committed on the part of the police. He said that a post-mortem showed that Ravichandran died from natural causes and there were no signs of physical abuse or assault.

If the public and the politicians voiced out their disapproval on the methods that the police used, Kugan may still be alive today. Nothing came out in 1999, 2003 and 2004.

Further there have been serious allegations that family members have been kept in the dark even on the arrests and false criminal allegations cooked up to “justify” the police’s actions (what if Kugan was not involved in the car theft but was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Many of the victims’ relatives seems to think so)

(“Bugger, behave!” More meat to the opposition politicians these days! Image source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)

But in 2008 onwards, with MIC and their big brothers in BN have experienced Hindraf and the political tsunami, real change may be instituted against the police and its procedures.

With a stronger voice (more meat to the opposition politicial parties and NGOs) and a push for a fairer treatment from the police, the pressure is certainly building on whether the police will still be allowed to be lawless when it comes to lock up and interrogations procedures (if there is such procedure, then the steps to enforce the adherence of it)

Almost Haircut

(Image source: http://www.joelapompe.net)

We were back in Taiping for the holidays and true to my philosophy “Taiping is a rest area”, I did not venture out from the house for the last 3 days we were there.

It was perfect staying in my in-law’s house – there were good programs on Astro, a comfortable bedroom to take short naps (with no one to question), laptop for games & movies and of course, delicious home cooked food. Further it rained “cats and dogs” in the afternoon onwards. My son found plenty of things to do at home, so he was happy “locked up” in the house as well.

As for my wife, since she has been staying there for many years, somehow she got bored staying in the house. She had laid out a long list of things to do outside the house – shopping, visits to family and friends and go out for lunch / dinner.

One of the “important” things for her to do is to have haircut at her Chinese friend’s hair saloon. The thing is we reached Taiping on Saturday but until Sunday evening; my wife was still undecided whether to go for the haircut. “Later” she said but not contemplating the fact that the shop may close early or there may be many customers. We passed by the shop several times but each time, my wife decided to put off her visit to the hair saloon until the last minute.

Rain came and only then she decided to go for the haircut but when she arrived at the shop, she came back immediately – there was 5 customers waiting for their turn and the shop is indeed closing early (by the time it opens, we will be back to KL).

Lesson learned: Don’t put off pressing engagements for too long, especially on the eve of Chinese New Year