Families and NGOs demand independent police oversight after detainee dies with severe injuries

Around a hundred demonstrators marched from Taman Tugu to the Parliament building, delivering a memorandum to Omar Mokhtar Manap, political secretary to Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, demanding the formation of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to supersede one outlet IPCC. The petition calls for a parliamentary probe into the death of 42-year-old Noorizwan, who died after being detained on drug-related and theft charges, and urges police to stop probing the lawyer representing his family while suspending any officers implicated.

The appeal is backed by 59 individuals and organisations such as LFL, Amnesty International Malaysia, Bersih and Suaram, with several MPs voicing support. A post-mortem found 21 serious injuries, including extensive brain bleeding and internal abdominal bleeding, and a pathology report said blunt-object trauma caused the fatal injuries. Police Commissioner Khalid Ismail has directed the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the “extraordinary” injuries. Lawmakers, including Hassan Abdul Karim and Syerleena Abdul Rashid, pledged to raise the issue in Parliament and with the Prime Minister.