Houseman's death: Cops to record statements from family members

GEORGE TOWN: Police have recorded statements from doctors and housemates of a houseman attached to Penang Hospital who fell from a building here on April 17.

Acting Timur Laut district police chief, Supt V. Saravanan said the investigation on the cause of death of the 25-year-old victim is still ongoing.

"We will record statements from family members of the victim, maybe this week to assist in the investigation. Until now, the case is still classified as sudden death.

"The investigation on the cause of death is still ongoing," he said when contacted today.

Saravanan said police are still waiting for the post-mortem results, laboratory tests and chemical test reports regarding the cause of the death.

He added that based on the initial investigation, the victim fell from the window of his rented apartment unit on the 23rd floor in Jalan Dato Keramat here.

In a separate statement, State Agrotechnology and Food Safety, Rural Development, and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin said she will hold a meeting with the Penang Health Committee soon to address these issues formally and find solutions and changes on the matter.

"The meeting will involve housemen and junior doctors first before continuing with it with health directors, deputy health directors, hospital directors, and heads of departments in Penang to discuss the matter more specifically.

"We want to find real changes on the issue. That is why the meetings must be minuted so it can be sent to the Health Minister (Khairy Jamaluddin) and he (Khairy) has also been informed about the issue," she added

Norlela said she also received numerous invaluable insights on issues faced by housemen and junior doctors and suggestions on how to revamp the existing system.

Previously, Penang Health Department (JKNPP) director Dr Maarof Sudin confirmed that the houseman was a graduate medical officer who had reported for work at HPP on April 4, and his (Dr Maarof) team would give full cooperation to the police in the investigation.

On Tuesday, a news portal reported that Timur Laut district police chief ACP Soffian Santong confirmed that a junior doctor from HPP was found dead believed to have fallen from a building and that the case was being investigated as sudden death.

However, Soffian said police did not rule out reclassifying the case if new evidence was found in the investigation.

-- BERNAMA