Johor Baru South police urges end to speculation over custodial death due to stroke
JOHOR BARU, Jan 18 — Police have called for an end to public speculation over a detainee's death in the Johor Baru South district police headquarters’ lock-up last week, after a stroke was confirmed as the cause of death.
Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said the cause of death was determined by medical authorities at Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) following an autopsy.
“With that, we ask the public to stop speculating about the death as investigations are still being carried out by the Criminal Investigation Unit on Deaths in Custody of Bukit Aman’s Integrity, Standards and Compliance Department.
“The investigation of this case will take about two to three months and the Johor Baru South district police will fully cooperate to assist the probe,” Raub told reporters after officiating Op Selamat 19/2023 Safe Home Campaign in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations at the Pandan wholesale market here today.
Present at the campaign launch were senior police officers, community leaders and also Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah Wee Tse.
Last Wednesday, a 47-year-old man died in the Johor Baru South district police headquarters’ lock-up cell, while waiting to be charged in court on the same day.
Raub was reported to have said that the man had earlier complained of pain and vomiting at 6.20am on Wednesday before he was taken to the Larkin health clinic for treatment at 7.45am.
However, the attending medical officer later confirmed his death at 8.30am and police subsequently classified the case under sudden death.
On a separate matter, Raub said the Johor Baru South district police managed to collect RM223,000 from a traffic fines payment campaign that offered a 50 per cent discount from Saturday to Monday.
He said police collected RM85,000 in the first day of the campaign, RM79,000 on the second day and RM59,000 on the third day.
“These fines involves various traffic offences and we have received quite a favourable response from the public during the campaign,” he said, adding that the public are indeed willing to pay when a discount is given.
