No evidence of abuse on prisoner who hanged himself

The coroner's inquest and investigation report confirmed that no wounds and no element of abuse was found on the body of a prisoner who hanged himself in Kluang Prison.

Prisons Department today issued a press statement to clarify the inaccurate reports published by several Tamil daily newspapers regarding the incident.

According to Prisons Department deputy director (Prisons Policy) Supri Hashim, during the incident on May 22, a member from the prison patrolling at 10.25 pm found that the prisoner had hanged himself using clothing supplied at his cell's wind hole.

"Immediate action was taken to rescue the prisoner and he was rushed to the hospital for examination and treatment. However, an officer from Hospital Kluang pronounced him dead,” he said.

Supri said, based on the prison’s procedures, the Kluang Prison management has taken the necessary action of lodging a police report, notify family members, ensure the presence of a coroner and conduct an investigation.

"His family has also been informed by various means, namely through phone calls and also sending a prison officer to the house,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a coroner has confirmed that the results of a physical examination of the body shown only bruises on the neck of the deceased and no other wounds were found. The autopsy also showed that his death was caused by hanging himself.

"There are no other injuries and no elements of persecution as reported by the newspapers.

"The authorities have contacted the families and lawyers without imposing any conditions for the family members in matters of transferring the bodies,” he said.