YOURSAY ‘The angels of justice sure have strange ways of expressing their outrage.’

Court: 'Zero tolerance' on custodial deaths

Vijay47: Zero tolerance for custodial deaths and yet the quantum for damages was reduced.

The angels of justice sure have strange ways of expressing their outrage over suspects dying like flies in police stations. Yeah, maybe one flew over the cuckoo's nest.

Kilgore: If the court is taking up the role of ombudsman, and there is no other avenue to check police abuse, then they should award damages sufficient to reflect the value of the human life lost and large enough to compel the police department to keep their personnel in line.

Reducing damages is hypocritical to the judgment.

Peacemaker: It is refreshing and it gives a glimmer of hope to hear Court of Appeal Justice David Wong Dak Wah say that custodial deaths should not occur.

To date, he is the highest public figure of stature who has commented on deaths in police custody. Until now deaths in police lock-ups seems to be taken as if they were as routine as clipping the handcuffs on "naughty boys".

Wong's wisdom on the matter is welcomed and Malaysians look to other judges emulating this wise judge's opinion.

Waktamnoko: The court has spoken. And we should not only support the decision when it was to our liking and condemned them when the judgment goes against our political leanings. This happens umpteen times when the judgments were not what the opposition expected.

Many people think that by changing the federal government everything will be better. But the Selangor government fiasco shows that the opposition are no better and maybe worse than the Umno government. At least the BN managed to keep the government running, although not to our expectations.

For the betterment of the police force we need the cooperation of all parties. Just the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) alone will never do the job.

It will give undue advantage to criminals and gangsters to take advantage of all those loopholes to escape prosecution.

What's to prevent a criminal from filing a false report just to slow down investigations against them? As it is now, there is already a hue and cry when known criminals were shot.

Not Convinced: Waktamnoko, you said IPCMC alone will not solve the problem and yet in the same breath, you argued that the commission would give undue advantage to criminals and gangsters to take advantage of so-called loopholes in the system.

Are you in favour of IPCMC or not? You can’t have the cake and eat it. And stop being an apologist for the government.

Guna Otak: My salute to the three Court of Appeal judges. There are still some good judges around. Good that they ruled that deaths in custody should not be tolerated.

I do not think all the people who died in custody are angels but they should be accorded all their rights while in custody.

SayaM1: Instead of making this a class-suit decision, the court squirmed its way out by "squashing" and "reducing", but claiming it to be a "deterrent".

Build your spine, mister judges. The rakyat had nowhere to go except to the established institutions for justice, and that also you washed your hands off, but cutting down the award and offences committed.

Now, this will go to Federal Court and there will be a further watering-down effect as "the law had yet to be developed especially in cases of public misfeasance", a finding you have "established", now the appellants could justify total squashing the decision in the country’s highest court.

The killing will stop only when the chief of police is made ultimately responsible and jailed for any death in custody.

Sa Tombs: The courts can say whatever they want, but the Polis are Raja Di Malaysia (PRDM).

This is so glaring when the head honcho the inspector-general of police (IGP) abetted by the attorney-general can openly state that he will not carry out the order of the High Court.

Ourvotesdecide: The officials found guilty of the abuse of power or public malfeasance should be immediately dismissed from service and be made to pay some of the damages awarded.

If not, these officials will think that it’s okay even if they are found guilty or liable for their wrongdoing. After all, it’s the government which will pay the damages awarded using taxpayers’ money.

I don't want my tax money to be used to pay such damages. How can this be called or regarded as deterrent?

Mob1900: Almost six years after Kugan's custodial death and all the cop got was a transfer to 'desk duties'. 'Justice for all'? Seems mighty selective.

Retnam: Wait for the government's Federal Court appeal on this.

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