Conflicting police testimonies, gruesome photos of a bruised and decomposed body of a victim of death in custody led a forum on state violence to urge for the urgent formation of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

For this, some form of "moral fortitude and political will" is needed for citizens to see " some semblance of fair play and justice" in the police force, said human rights lawyer, M Visvanathan.

"How can the police investigate themselves? It makes no sense. We might as well get all our thieves, robbers, rapists, or whatever, to investigate themselves," he said last night at the event organised by the Stop State Violence Movement in Penang .

NONE "We ought to trust those persons who uphold the law. But what happened? You make up your mind whether they had upheld the law, whether they did their duties, for I have made up my mind," added Visvanathan ( left ), who is based in Kuala Lumpur.

He pointed out that despite his challenges, revealing their faults, flaws and abuses , not a single police officer had been made accountable. This is fact, not fiction," he stressed.

Judge's decision "erroneous"

During the two-hour session, Visvanathan showed "shocking documentary evidence" of 31-year-old  R Gunasegaran who was found dead on the same day as deceased DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

NONE Teoh, ( right ) who was supposed to marry in the morning, suspiciously fell to his death from the 14th floor of the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters, on July 16, 2009.

In June, coroner Siti Shakirah Moktarudin of the Kuala Lumpur High court declared an "open verdict" from the inquest into Gunasegaran's death.

Visvanathan argued that the decision was "erroneous and contradictory to evidence" as she failed to adopt a critical approach in questioning the conflicting testimonies of police witnesses, while disregarding the consistent testimonies of three others.

A participant , really fired up by Visvanathan's testimony asked: "As a human, regardless of race, what can we do? Please tell me! I need to know this."

"Don't talk about religion but as a human being, what should we do for another human being? If we continue to have human beings in a government like this, then slowly we would be bankrupt," said the man, who is a frequent participant at Penang Speakers Square.

"Can I tell you all why this is happening? It is because of (former premier) Mahathir (Mohamad)! (He is) very dirty!" shouted the senior citizen at the top of his voice, startling the 50 odd participants at the forum.

Among the small crowd were two special branch officers; one  seen busy writing notes, snapping photos and recording the speeches with his smart phone.

Suhakam ‘all bark, no bite'

Meanwhile, Visvanathan was asked if there were any higher authority where he can refer R. Gunasegaran's case to so that appropriate action can be taken on those responsible for his death.

He said the matter has been filed in the Court of Appeal before three judges but hearing has been adjourned to next year, without a date being fixed.

"I told the judges, I am ready, willing, able and adequately prepared to conduct the case, but judges in their infinite wisdom decided I was not prepared," Visvanathan clarified.

"They made me see my errant ways and subsequently made me agree to the matter being adjourned to a date yet to be fixed... I am being polite here," he said.

On the performance of the Human Rights Commission, Visvanathan described it as a ‘toothless tiger, all bark and no bite, which ought to be disbanded".

"If you give a body the power to investigate human rights, what is the point of writing reports, making photocopies of it and sharing with the world if they have no power to enforce the laws," said Visvanathan.

"Only trees are being cut down. Spare the trees. Spare all of us. Disband Suhakam".

NONE During the session, Visvanathan was accompanied by Bersih participant Asrul Wadi Ahmad, 27, who became clinically blind after a tear gas canister directly hit him at the rally held in Dataran Merdeka on April 28.

Recently, Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein showed he was not very keen on the IPCMC, saying there was " no single formula " to solve all problems in the force.

The police force has be continuous condemned for incidences like the recent rape of an Indonesian woman in custody by three policemen, and the death in the lock-up of furniture salesman Cheah Chin Lee.

The movement included NGOs like Tenaganita, Malaysians for Beng Hock, Amnesty International Malaysia, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM), Japan Graduates' Association of Malaysia and Persatuan Sahabat Wanita.

Formed in October, the movement is oprganising a 'Stop State Violence Rally' at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur on Dec 9, the eve of World Human Rights Day.