Another death in custody, this time in Sarawak
A 50-year-old man died in police custody in Marudi, Sarawak, on Monday (July 31), after having breathing difficulties.
Police said the man, who was arrested for alleged criminal intimidation, complained of chest pains, while on the way to the Marudi police district headquarters.
He was then rushed to Klinik Kesihatan Beluru but was...
A 50-year-old man died in police custody in Marudi, Sarawak, on Monday (July 31), after having breathing difficulties.
Police said the man, who was arrested for alleged criminal intimidation, complained of chest pains, while on the way to the Marudi police district headquarters.
He was then rushed to Klinik Kesihatan Beluru but was confirmed dead by the clinic's medical assistant at 10.30pm that day.
This is according to a statement by Integrity and Standards Compliance Department director Azri Ahmad.
However, it is not clear from Azri's statement whether the man was dead upon arrival.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted by Miri Hospital tomorrow to determine the cause of death.
The incident is also under investigation at the national headquarters, Bukit Aman, Azri said.
In 2022, 24 cases of death in police custody were recorded, down from 46 the previous year.
READ MORE: Death Behind Bars: The forgotten faces who succumbed to brutality
24 deaths in police custody last year
Of the 24 deaths, 11 occurred in police lockups while the other 13 happened when the detainees were either receiving treatment at a hospital or clinic or on the way to the facility.
They do not include deaths in custody of other enforcement agencies, such as the MACC.
In June, a suspect in an investigation into money laundering and illegal mining died in MACC custody.
In February, the Home Ministry said it is amending the 1953 Lockup Rules to curb deaths in custody.
